


Under Frozen Water

by Avatarlov1



Category: Frozen (Disney Movies), Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Ahtohallan River (Disney), Angst, Book: Forest of Shadows - Kamilla Benko, F/M, Matter of Life and Death, Mythology - Freeform, Spirits, This is after ROTG, WW2, Years Later, after Frozen 2, it involves memories, jack gets emotional, little easter eggs, long chapters, mention of fairy tales and stories, mostly lore, natives, probably out of character, truth not as it seems
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-05
Updated: 2020-12-15
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:27:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 27
Words: 201,609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21656764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Avatarlov1/pseuds/Avatarlov1
Summary: [Set After Frozen 2][Set After ROTG]Jack Frost, the Guardian of Fun, a spirit of winter and a force of nature, thought he figured out his purpose years ago by Manni. Yet after hearing an echo from his long dead sister, he questions his forgotten past.Staring back at him from the Seine of a late December evening, was a snowflake pattern he's never seen before in his life.
Relationships: Elsa (Disney) & Jack Frost (Guardians of Childhood), Elsa (Disney)/Jack Frost (Guardians of Childhood)
Comments: 84
Kudos: 357
Collections: Jelsa Fanfiction





	1. Snowflakes Underwater

[Burgess, Pennsylvania]

[December 21 2027]

"Mom, did you get the groceries this week?" Jamie Bennet walked down the stairs from his bedroom, holding onto the railing as he walked down to the kitchen area. Holding a empty glass cup in his free hand as he headed towards the new, shiny up to date fridge. 

He opened the fridge to expect orange juice or soda for the matter, but to his disappointment there were no such liquids. The fridge was half empty with the usual eggs, half eaten cake slices, milk, and so on. Groaning, he shut the fridge door and placed the glass cup on the counter. 

"Mom?" Brown eyes darted around the kitchen and towards the fake green Christmas tree across from him. Stopping at the sight of the already lit tree, he took a breath. 

It was close, Christmas day, just 3 more days and the annoying songs would leave his life forever. Well not forever, just until next November that those american Christmas songs would stop repeating themselves. Jamie was fine with Christmas and toys and everything, but....he's just too old to get new things. Well new and improved iPads probably, maybe a tablet or airpods. Something close to those would be nice...for a while. 

Jamie, still holding the fridge handle, turned back around after not hearing a reply. Opening the fridge again and taking out the slices of cake instead. "Guess I'll just be eating these then. Hope Sophie wont mind" he hummed, putting the cake piece down next to the empty glass. 

Sophie's 19th birthday had passed a week ago and yet he was still surprised she didn't finish the cake. Well, more for him...

Taking major bites out of the vanilla frosted cake and smiling in delight, he felt his pocket buzz and ring simultaneously. 

Jamie took out his phone to see that it was Caleb. Placing the phone to his ear while continuing eating his cake, a voice muffled through.

"Hey Jamie what's up? Excited for Christmas this year?" 

"Mm, depends" he took a bite "Depends?! Dude I thought you still loved getting presents! Remember that one time you got all excited about getting some nerd book about stars?" "Yeah? I mean that was one time, you dont have to bring it up every year. It's just stars" 

"Fine fine. I'll quit it" 

"So what do you want?" 

"You know...the details" Jamie could hear snickering from the other side. "What details? Why are you laughing?" Eyes squinted in suspicion as he took another bite. 

"Oh come ON Jamie! Half of us want to know what's going on with you and that blonde girl!" "What blonde girl? There's tons of them" 

A sigh was heard from the screen. "Are you serious? At Barnes Noble, the cute girl that always shows up at the same table? The one with the blue eyes and glasses? I've seen you two walking together through those fantasy book shelves!" 

"I-i have no idea who you're talking about" Jamie almost choked on his cake in embarrassment. 

"Of course you do! I'm your coworker man and I've seen something between you two for the past 2 weeks! And I'm dying to know if you made a move on her!" A dramatic groan came from the phone. Jamie calmed himself down and continued eating his cake. After getting up and putting the plate in the dish washer, he took his coat from the rack. 

Pulling his arms though the sleeves of the coat and zipping it while pressing the phone against his ear, he sighed at his friends dying curiosity and pressure for gossip. 

"Its funny how you never told me any of this dude. I mean. You two together being a bunch of nerds? Look...I talked to her yesterday on my shift and- get this-- she LOVES, and I mean loves mythology. Myths, fantasies, monsters you name it!" 

Jamie closed the door behind him and walked down the steps in the chilly and snow covered ground. Heading towards the grocery store until he stopped. "Wait...even spirits?" 

"You had 2 weeks to talk to her, and you still never found out?" Jamie could just imagine Caleb rolling his eyes. "What were you two doing in that aisle anyway?" 

"Uh...you know, I was showing her around, helping her out to find a book" he rubbed the back of his covered neck. "Oh really?" 

"Yes! Really, nothing happened between us okay?" "Well it looked like something happened. When she came in yesterday, she was practically looking and roaming around for you! And she was all shy about it too" there was snicker. 

Jamie was already in the store and looking around for juices and foods as his friend kept talking. "What do you mean?" 

"I asked her if she was looking for you, and when I said your name she got all blushie. It was adorable! You should have seen it man!" 

Jamie smiled softly as he took orange juice out of the freezer. "Wish I did..." he muttered to himself, but quickly realized Caleb heard him. "Well you should've! Also you never told what you plan to do with her on the big day. Do you need me as your wingman or something?" 

"I...I dont need a wing man Caleb" "you sure? Cause it really looks like it. I had this whole plan with the mistletoe and everything"

"H-hold up...mistletoe? Caleb what are you...what are you intending to do? I mean I know me and Elizabeth talk about the same things and we both enjoy it but..." 

"So you should totally DATE her! Ask her out, go around and do some Christmas shopping, get hot coco whatever is good. Cuddle by a fire and sing those cheesy Christmas songs!" 

Jamie blushed and closed his eyes with a smile, pushing a cart he grabbed before and placing the items inside. He took abit more than he thought of, but that was normal. He sighed "you're really a hopeless romantic huh?" 

"Well of _course_ I am! I'm doing what's best for my love struck friend over here. Look, I'm just saying you two--to me-- look perfect for eachother" 

"Isn't that a bit much? Looks could be decieving you know" "yeah I know that much, but I'm still helping you out here. You obviously haven't done anything with her in the past month. A slow burn romance kills me..." 

"You're being so dramatic about this" Jamie rolled his eyes as he walked out of the store carrying more than he would normally get. Which was odd because he just doesn't buy a lot. Maybe he was stress shopping. 

"Well your being too shy about it. You gotta open up more to her. She's just like you! Ask her out" 

Jamie sighed louder, clearly annoyed of his friends pushiness. "Fine! Fine I'll ask her! Bye!" And with that, Jamie hung up the phone and placed it in his pocket, feeling the cold chill of winter and frost surrounding his bare hands. Boy it was cold, way too cold, for the usual Christmas winter weather. 

As he walked across the slightly iced pavement of the sidewalk, he noticed a set of blond hair, blue eyes and wearing a mixture of turquoise and white. Reading a thick red book in hand as she walked on the icey concrete, she hummed to herself a song. 

Jamie stopped and stared in the cold chilly weather to see her walk under a lamp light, her features shining bright as the frost on her clothing glistened. 

She looked like an angel. 

Jamie lowered himself in a hunch, admiring the shy girl that was currently reading her book, not paying attention but somehow knows where to look. A dreamy expression and a wavy smile appeared on the 23 year old as his bags of groceries held onto his arms. Should he go ask her out now? Or maybe later? No, Christmas would be the right time....no no no. The man shook his head as he thought of his friends advise. 

Maybe it was too early to ask her. Since they only met the first day of December. Now it was 3 days before Christmas and he hasn't thought of asking her on a date until Caleb suggested it. 

Jamie sighed and shook his head, straightened himself up in realization. No, he shouldn't be so shy about this. He shouldn't back away from asking this once in a lifetime chance of this most amazing, intelligent, fantasy-loving and beautiful girl to go on a date with him. 

He just needed to believe that he could do it. 

Suddenly, as Elizabeth was walking closer to him, a gust of chilly cool wind blew by her, powerful enough to knock her book out of her hand and land right into Jamie's face. 

Jamie saw the heavy book fly and the pages flapping open closer and closer to see an inked image of a figure before blacking out. 

* * *

A ruffled noise, another sound of items being moved and a cool feeling pressed against his shoulders. "Hey, are you alright? Jamie? I'm sorry! The wind was way too strong all of a sudden" Jamie opened his eyes to see the most beautiful blue eyed girl in front of him. She was laying on the ground with him as he was against the wall. He looked around to see that his groceries were piled next to him. 

He was a little questioned on why this pretty girl was laying on the cold winter concrete, not bothered by the chills and freezing temperature of the cold. He looked directly at her face, her eyes were worried behind those thick glasses. Her blonde medium cut hair kept under a hat. 

"Elizabeth? W-what are you?" He jolted up right, starting to get up and take his bags. It was late, a quarter after 11 PM. He had to go home before mom got worried about his absence.

"I need to go, I-im sorry about-" he held his head tight. The chill air from the wall and breeze combined messed him up. He felt two hands grab his arm. "Here. Let me help you. I'm sorry about my book" Elizabeth helped him up and took his bags, trading him to carry her book that eventually knocked him out. 

As both of them were walking back to Jamie's home, Elizabeth was quiet as she held the three bags next to him. Jamie was currently looking at the red thick book cover. It was a novel. A whole book of myths and legends around the world. It was created in the 1800s, yet the style looked much older. 

"Where did you get this book? I haven't seen it in the library or at work before" he scanned the book and opened a few pages as they walked. The pages were colored an old beige and the tips of the paper looked well worn and old, but still readable. The sides were tinted gold as the hardcover held texture. 

The front of the book had a title, fancy and classical: 

BIBLE OF MYTHS AND LEGENDS

"I-it is a set of records and fairytales and stories of ancient things. Legends and fantasies. Dragons, witches and spirits are some of them... " the blonde girl was shifting about as she explained, embraced about telling him. 

"I...thought it would be interesting to read. I got it from way back, my grandfather had it for a long time. He passed it to me and yet I'm still not finished with it. There is so much in there to explore" she shifted her eyes, darting from the ground to the him. 

Jamie meanwhile was also interested in the different texts and creatures painted into the book. There were so many mythical creatures inside of this one book. He was too curious about it. Before being sucked into one the texts on Norse myths. He blinked and looked at the girl next to him. 

"Uh! S-so what chapter were you on before the wind blew it away?" 

"Oh uh..." Elizabeth leaned over and flipped some pages to land on a page with a figure drawing. The drawing was a queen. Or so he thought. The queen was all white, menacing, cold looking. Icicles and frost covered her. Her hair was white and long, half ice.

She looked like a menacing yet cunning character with her skin as blue and sparkling like the sea. She looked alone, yet firm on the ice and snowy ground. Creatures made out of the same snow and ice were her friends, surrounding her. A snow storm surrounded her. 

Jamie felt another chill from staring down at the cold look of this character. Her blue eyes detailed with snowflakes. 

"Who...uh....who is she?" 

"That's the Snow Queen. A female personification of winter, or a witch. She lives in a palace, towards Spitsbergen, which is northern Norway. Really close to the North Pole. Where winter is always harsh, always dangerous. So they make alot of characters with winter themes and tell stories about them. Even write books!" 

Jamie saw sudden clear, crystalline snowflakes fall right onto the picture of the snow queen, oddly enough they werent melting since the air was chilly already. "Are there any other myths about winter spirits?" 

Elizabeth then beamed with joy, something he admired and awed. She looked so cute when she smiles. "Yes! There is this small book I liked in particular! It's called The Frost King. There are two versions of the same persona. But I like them both anyway" 

"R-really? Care to share them with me?" Jamie couldn't help but smile as the girl was so bright and interested in talking about myths. "Uh...s-sure...when we get back to your house" her shy demeanor came back. 

"Y-you could tell me now, if you want. I mean, I have time..." 

Another chill and a gust of wind alarmed them both. Was it a sign they should go inside first? Or encouragement? Well, a certain spirit was eager to listen.

"Alright...so...the Frost King...." 

* * *

[Paris, France] 

Blue snowflake marked eyes were staring at the bright lights of the Eiffle Tower. Looking on as he floated in mid air, his blue frosty decorated cloak flapping in the chilly winds he made as snow fell silently to the ground. Looking towards the tower then down at the people below, just the size of ants as he flew a little higher to cast more clouds of snow, giving it a bit more of a romantic feeling this late December. He saw kids and parents alike look out in wonder and awe at the pretty and delicate frosty ferns on the windows, walls, fountains and icy waters. 

Couples and children alike danced on the field that had now turned into an Ice rink. He saw people skate around with laughter, throwing snowballs and making snow castles. 

The winter spirit couldn't help but place a big grin on his face as he created statues of ice, placing them in strange places around the massive ice rink. Kids held confusion yet were happy again as the statues of friendly snowmen appeared with the most adorable smiles. The spirit swooped down, twirling and racing around the tower to create a decoration of colored icicles and snowflakes. With most of his magic, he created a wintery romantic scenery in Paris. 

He didn't know why he would create something so romantic, but something felt like he wanted to. True as he dove down to witness couples kissing and eating together, cuddling and playing with kids. Maybe he was abit lonely, a little bit jealous of what humans had that he wished he had before. 

But that was then and this is now. At least he had the advantage to fly. That was a bonus for being a winter spirit. Of course humans were limited with a small lifespan of oh, say 80 years, more or less so. He's seen people die younger than 80 at a cost for something meaningless. 

Of course even some of his own winters that he made were too much to bare. Killing by freezing poeple in the process. That's when he figured that....humans die too quickly. Human lives are so fast that for him, it was gone in a week, maybe a month at least. 

Jack sighed as he sat crossed legged in the air, looking at a young couple and thier two children playing in the snow mounds he made. He was floating next to the Siene of Paris. A city river that reflected memories of life and turmoil. That saw death with it's own watery eyes. 

Jack stared down at his reflection in the water. His caped hood over his white snow hair, his own blue hood transformed to something more guardian like, his pants had that same brown and frost covered layer, yet look more like modern pants this time. His belt was still there at least. The most changeable thing of all was his physical look. 

27 years after becoming a guardian, he had...aged. He figured out how to physically age himself up to a point. From looking like a teenager of 18 to a 20 something or other. His body felt itself growing with more of his power. 300 years of him not knowing until now. What was he even doing other than trying on culture clothes, riding with the wind and playing tricks around the world? When he could've just controlled his power and expand it to his desires....without causing an ice age.

Jack huffed, finally seeing himself age up after an accident of utter rage. That 7 years ago he was pushed to the limit as history went down. That something burned. Beautiful, beautiful architecture burned. Wars, world wars. Hate speeches. Death threats. He hated what humans were doing to eachother. He never understood that much hatred. 

Jack created snowstorms so ugly, he shot bolts of ice, hail and what not at people. His power kept growing. It became cruel to a point that he killed humans in those wars. Hundreds of them. The lovely and soft ferns of snow became daggers, destructions, forces of unseen nature. His bolts of ice became lightning. Crystals and hail fell to the ground like knives.

Damn it all, he saw _children_ die, being thrown onto piles from a famined death. So many poeple died infront of his eyes, was he lucky to be reborn to see that? 

Jack shook his head from staring too long into the water. He turned around to see poeple walk by happily. As if the past was different in thier eyes, the future was unsure of. They live in the present tense. In the here and now. Lucky to see all of this he made for kids. Yes, even adults were children to him. Since they live such short lives anyway.

"Isnt this lovely?" A women asked, awing at the frosty scenery before her. Jack focused back into reality as he saw a couple walking down. "My, how on earth did they put icicles up there?!" She awed at the Eiffel Tower. Not to mention huge colorful ones? Like it was made by magic" Jack grinned next to her. 

"Magic?? That's absurd! How can one put so much effort into something unexplainable and suddenly call it magic? Magic is such an excuse these days. To explain what science and talent can not" her partner stated. 

Jack turned to him with a pout. "Well can you explain why I can do _this_?"

Suddenly, out of thin air, blue swirls came about before them, snowflakes appeared and clumped together to make a blue tinted ice sculpture. The ice sculpture was a snowman. The two blinked in shock and fear, then a strange sensation of joy overcame them. The women leaned in closer to the small floating snowman. 

"Aw, how cute! Bonjour little snowman" she waved her fingers at the snowman as it animated and flipped its top hat down in greeting. 

The man was still a little shocked "i-it moves! But-but how?! It just came out of thin air! How does one..." he was left speechless as the little snowman waved back at her. 

It stuck its tongue out at the man. "Now its taunting me!" Jack snickered.

"Hmm..what shall we name you sir?" The women asked with a smile.

"How about...." Jack moved his finger in the air, spelling out and creating the word: 

FROSTY 

"Frosty the little snowman? I've heard about that storybook. I used to read it to the kids! They loved it!" "Who are you talking to dear?" 

"The little snowman! Well, good bye now" she waved at the little snowman as it waved back. Suddenly, as they left and the man walked by it, the snowman popped into flickers of cold and shivering snow.

Jack laughed as the man shivered in shock and sneezed from the cold wind. 

As the couple left and the sun had gone down. It was time for Jack to go back home to Burgess, which he remembered that he left it snowing there for 3 days. 

Whoops. Jamie would not be happy. Though, speaking of the boy, he hasn't really seen him in a while. Though three days ago didn't really count as a while, _before_ that was a while. 

Like since he was 8, he hasn't seen Jamie really grow up into an adult until 3 days ago. As he got that glimpse through the window, Jamie did grow in such a small amount of time. Maybe he never realized it how time literally flies. 

Literally. He isn't the only one that flies. 

Have you seen Father Time fly before? No, no one has. 

Jack closed his eyes as he hovered over the Ciene again. His image being reflected in the water below. "Time to go home and see what Jamie is up to" Jack took out his staff, ready to call the wind, but the winds howls were blocked by another sound. 

A sound coming from underneath him, a very _very_ familiar sound. 

Jack then looked down at his floating reflection with wide eyes, seeing ripples below him forming. That's odd. He's not touching the water. Well now he is, standing right on top of in curiosity. 

The frost and ice formed as a surface instantly under his feet. Then he noticed his surface of ice expanding into...another shape. Jagged edges instead of swirls, rough instead of soft 

He then made a snowflake, his signature 6 sided pattern of ice and let it fall to the cold water. In a questioned gasp, jack saw the snowflake shift into another pattern completely. A pattern he never knew he was aware of. It had eight sides, four sides were ruines carved in crystal ice as the snowflake looked completely different. Like a sort of magical compass. 

Jack leaned in closer to the design as it floated in the water, connected and attached without a problem. "What is this? I've never seen anything like this before...." 

He heard his name being called... _Jack_.... _Jackson..._

A gust of wind alarmed him, jack stood up in shock, hearing the voice again. Was it his sisters voice? She sounded..like she was calling him...

"Jamie"


	2. Modern Myths

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack hears a story about "The Frost King" from Jamie's crush.

Clouds dashing through the air in his sight as snow rained faster in different areas of the world, Jack frost flew over the layer of wintery clouds towards the two lights in the sky. He was heading home again. His new cloak billowing in the wind as he took himself home to see Jamie. Even after all those years, he was still curious of why he liked Jamie so much. Or why, in a way, Jamie looked very familiar to him. 

Though no one could blame him for not remembering everything. He died under frozen water. He rose with memory loss and amnesia for maybe....well he thought 80 years or less. It's not really uncommon to get amnesia after getting out of a frozen lake. Or...well...death could do that too.

He remembered some 100 years back in a classroom of a college that you would lose memory after your brain shuts down in freezing temperatures. That science and memory are interconnected or something. And he saw a book in some giant library that you forget everything after death. That the afterlife is a renewed state of a soul, a rebirth or unfinished soul searching. 

That was in 1938 he read that...and he still remembered it 100+ years later. His brain was very weird. Remembering some things for years and then forget in a minutes time. The brain was so strange. Yet his rebirth was stranger. 

Jack frost remembered nothing as he rose, now he still, after all those years, know nothing of about his past before his death, before his sister, before his mother....or father. Or his background. His faith. His love life, his powers. His status to his family. His status to now. 

Why? 

Jack stopped in his tracks midflight, removing his hood and feeling the moon shine behind him, bright and big like a nightlight. He turned around to face the moon. The face of a 20 year old physical man in question. The face that was 'why are you shutting me out?' 'Arent I important to you?'

 _....Jack....Jackson...._ he heard her voice again. 

That questioned face became one of impatience. "Mani, tell me! Tell me who I am to you! I know i ask these stupid questions again and again... years after years of staring up at you. You chose me because i saved my sister. You chose me because I loved children, I loved playing pranks, I loved their smile. How everyone smiles at my jokes! You told me I'm Jack Frost, what else? Besides the guardian of fun? Is that my only purpose since I was revived? I know how short life is. Poeple dont live long I know that!" 

Blue eyes looked away from the bright moon and unto the shades of the clouds. "Why am I so desperate now?" He whispered, clenched his teeth and balled his fist, tighten his grip on the staff.

"....just....I'm so confused...still such a child...I know this all I have left. I know that now I have a purpose...can i least know that I'm not alone? Being stuck here with endless laughter of kids and adults, mixed with hate and wars and arguments of the same kind? Why cant...why can't I....remember? To hide the truth? Possibly. For your sake and for mine. Mani" 

Jack turned back around, his anger turned back to a kind smile, a huff to the bright moon and his spots. The moon kept glowing in the dark, and Jack flew down to the town of Burgess. 

* * *

"Fine! Fine I'll ask her! Bye!" 

Jack jumped from roof to roof to see Jamie walking outside in the cold. The boy was holding three bags full of things and he wanted to help him. He hadn't seen him or talked to him after the whole guardian announcement thing. He was too busy going around the world bringing winter and joy to kids... also mischief, possible mishief and power boosts. The winter spirit was close him, trying to say hi and talk to boy now man from 27 years ago. 

"Uh, hey Jamie...remember me?" He waved to the man. Yet, he didn't see him. He didnt reply. Jack was infront of him while walking back to his house. "Jamie! I'm right here! Talk to me man what's got you so stressed u-"

In an instant, he felt what he thought would never happen to Jamie. He walked right through him. 27 years ago it was the same. The spirit gasped and turned around to see the back of Jamie walking away. "Jamie?! Oh no, oh no no no. This is not- Jamie!" 

Jack breathed quickly and huffed to his side, the man shivered slightly and stayed put. "Jamie. Please. Look at me. Hear me! I'm right here! W-what are you looking at?! You cant stop believing in me again..." Jack pleaded, standing in front of the brown haired man. 

Yet he only stared...rather dreamingly? At him, or through him. "W-what are you looking at...oh" Jack turned around to see a fair skinned girl with blonde cut hair and blue eyes. Wearing all white and turquoise while heavily engrossed in a book. She was walking under a streetlamp.

Jack turned back around, a bit annoyed. "Really?! Her?! I mean....I could help you but...okay whose more important here? Your faith in me? Or your love struck crush on a girl?" He asked the man who continued with the dreamy eyes.

"Okay stop that...its really weird....shes going to think you're a creep if you keep DOING-!" Jamie sighed then shook his head and straightened himself up, giving the spirit a shock. Jamie looked down at the concrete and huffed out air. 

"Are... you alright? Not responding. OKAY, I'm generally pissed off and I do not want to do this to you, but-" 

Jack went over to the blonde haired girl who was reading her book. Peaking over to see what she was reading, a figure of an icicle women, he then whooshed the cool icy wind near her. Gliding the book out her hands and flying right into the man's face. Hard. 

Jack saw the rest as he leaned against the wall, his cool aura chilling the man as he naps against the wall. The girl went over to her with worry and tried waking Jamie up.

The winter spirit kneeled down next to him and placed his cold head on his shoulder. "You know what Jamie? I had alot of things to tell you during those 27 years. 4 involved death and children dying. Me gaining more power and anger issues during endless storms in Russia. And you know what else? I can physically AGE myself to be older so we can be _even_ with your aging gimics of human life! I was so ready to talk about this stuff with you but NO you just _had_ to get a crush, forget all about me and my woes. No let's talk about how stressed you are and how you adults stop believing in _myths_ like me! Can I at least be an escape route from whatever stressed life you have?!" 

Jack felt Jamie wake up and stare at the pretty blue eyed girl. 

As they were talking and getting up, jack stayed against the wall, eyeing her suspiciously, having this....confusion, like he cant put his finger on it. That the blue eyed girl looked....familiar...yet he had never...and he meant _ever_ seen her before. The girl took his groceries and Jamie took her book. Reading and skimming the book curiously, he had asked her what it was. Who was on the page and who was her favorite. 

Jack had been walking with them, well more like behind them and slightly closer to get them chilled up. He was eyeing them both, watchful of what was going on. Then he saw the page again from before. The ice women, covered in white, menacing, scary and oh so cold. A storm and creatures surround her on the page, white long hair flowing down and ends like clear icicles. Her skin a lighter blue as if she was the winter weather, as if she was a goddess. He felt himself shiver, but felt....connected to her. 

Yet he still wanted to get Jamie's attention, make him believe again. Make him see again. Jack was above him and created three crytaline snowflakes and dropped it on the page of the 'snow queen' in front of Jamie. Who, in Jack's disappointment, was curious about the snowflakes, but didn't question Jack Frost's existence. 

"Really....I gave you _crystalline_ _snowflakes_ , crystal! Ice crystal! I didnt even know I could _do_ that until 3 years ago! Come on! Jamie! They're gorgeous! At least think where it came from!!" Jack huffed as he floated next behind them. He was planning to follow them back to his house. 

He was expected to be bored from the walk to his place, yet the mention of The Frost King perked his interest. As the two were talking shyly with one another about the topic, Jack rolled his eyes. He can't take it anymore. He was too eager and impatient to hear that little story. So he made a gust of wind behind them and they finally continued off. 

* * *

"The Frost King is a King that lives in a Northerm country mostly closer to the Arctic Circle. He is kind, loves children and paints the leaves in many colors. In one of the books, he has frost faires to help him bring out treasures of ice from his palace to wherever thd other kings need it. He also rides a steed, a white horse named North Wind. He has polar bears as guards and he is friends with Santa. His enemy is the Sun, King Sol, for he always melts away the ice and snow that covered the flowers and bridges. King Winter is his other neighbor, but they never really talk much since he's more cruel than kind.

Anyway! King Frost sent out his treasured ice jewels and rubies, sending his faries to do his work for he is a busy king. Yet when they sent out the ice treasures, the fairies were mischievous and childlike. They didnt want to take orders and smell the flowers instead. So they hid the ice and colorful treasures between the branches and played all day until King Sol rose. 

As the snow and ice melted, the fairies didnt notice until they felt thr ice drip and saw the redness of the colored ice drip and painted the leaves red. It happened to all of the other leaves and flowers that were dying and browned. 

One day Frost King got impatient and wondered off to find his fairies, when he did, seeing the ice melt and the leaves change, he was enraged and the faries were scared. Yet the rage left him for the kids who saw the crystal frosty colors of the flowers were overjoyed and picked them up. Frost eventually forgiven the fairies and brought them back to his palace, thanking his heated enemy"

Elizabeth explained the story as they walked back to his house, sometimes walking slower to hear the story more. Jamie walked up the stairs and held the door handle, looking back down at her, who held his groceries. 

"How can you remember all of that?" "I...uh, I read a lot. I read alot about the snow queen too. So I just....remembered it all...hehe" Elizabeth blushed and gave him the groceries. "Thank you, uh! here's your book" he handed her the book in exchange. 

Both stood silent as the cool wind blew. "Uh.." Jamie started, a blush creeping up. He wanted to ask her, but it was already midnight. "Thank you...f-for walking me home. I mean you...didnt need to" 

"Its fine. I like spending time with you--" Elizabeth stopped and shut her mouth as she looked away from Jamie. "I--i mean for books and such...since we have so many things in common... uh"

"Y-yeah...books and myths and such" Jamie started turning the knob "see you tomorrow then?" "Oh yeah...tomorrow" Jamie opened the door to walk inside. He heard his little sister walk down the stairs. 

"Ooo! Was that a girl I saw?" "Shut up Sophie" 

And the door slammed shut, leaving behind a desperate winter spirit and a girl in the cold. 

"Oh come on! Dont shut me out!" Jack was close to the opened door before Jamie shut it closed behind him. Leaving the spirit outside of his door. "..*sigh*...I mean...at least she's pretty cute...and Frost King...I like the sound of that" Jack walked over and down the steps to see the girl leaving his house, her book still against her chest. 

As she walked away to another block, jack couldn't help but follow her back. To his surprise, he has never seen this girl before. Even when he flew around the town millions of times and saw the changes, he never really...saw her before. Maybe she was new and transferred from another state? Could be a possibility. Still he had followed her from behind. 

Yet after a few steps, she halted. He halted. Then she sprinted. He sprinted after her. He kept up with her pace as she turned a corner and stopped. Looking over her shoulder, having a thought someone was following her. Jack flew over the building and landed right in front of her, who was still looking wearily behind. He didnt want to scare her. Maybe put frost next to her? 

Jack did just that, he pointed his finger at the brick wall right next to her head. 

The girl snapped her head back to his line of sight. She felt the cold, she heard the crackling of frost and ice mixed together. What stunned him, caught him off guard was her wide scared eyes. Her beautiful blue...familiar eyes staring horrified as the frost grew slowly on her right. Jack stared, breathing slowly and watching what she was going to do next. He let go of the wall. The frost stopped growing. The girl had caught her breath, but was now relieved. 

Huh. Interesting. She thinks she sees a ghost? 

Jack took a step back from her. Waiting for her next move. But she froze. Her book held tightly to her chest. Gripping the hard cover she had helped her relax. Her back against the wall. Maybe she was paranoid? She did see something infront of her. Jack then raised his same hand and did a little magic dance. A blue magic light swirled around. Snowflakes fell from the light and stopped in mid air. The flakes twirled slowly, gleaming from the nearby lights. 

The girl's eyes widened in awe and wonder. She bit her lip and she still held the book. She leaned in closer to the magical display before her. Jack then played a little trick with the flakes, turning it into different shapes of ice. Then it stopped and formed itself into a structure of a waving snowman. The snowman smiled, happily waving towards the girl. She stared, then giggled and closed her eyes as she did. Jack stare at her. The pain of familiarity was there. That smile. He knew that smile of pure joy and release of anxiety. 

He's seen it before....in Jamie, in Sophie, in other kids. Even his little sister. Yet...he knew this smile came from another person entirely. He just couldn't grasp it. 

Then she laughed louder, snorted and shocked him, losing abit control over his little show and let it fall to the floor. "Oops. My bad" he glanced back up to the blonde girl, who was looking down at the magic ice and snow cracked to the floor. 

"Uh...I'll fix it for-" Jack was about to reach when the girl quickly picked up the cracked ice snowman. She inspected it and scanned the ice around it. The sculpture was pure ice, with a mixture of blue that glowed. Her eyes widened and gently lowered the object. Dropping her book out of shock. 

Jack was still unsure if she saw him or not, but he stayed infront of her and created a snow mound onto the icy snowflakes. At least it didnt startle her, but brought...joy to her look. That what she is seeing came out of thin air. She believed it. 

Another sign of fern frost appeared below where the mound was, creeping out and stretching in all directions. The girl followed the fern patterns and saw it led to the statue of the town. She followed the ferns to the statue and questioned why. 

Why was this magical spirit so interested in that statue? Or here in Berguss? 

She followed the end of the trail to the gold statue, which had turned green through the years. Looking at her right to see the ferns creep up beside her and towards the boy who was holding the rifle. 

Jack was beside her, looking up at the statue of this unknown family he kept coming back to. Like the frozen pond he came out before. It was all he knew, all he saw was the pond, the town and now decades later, this statue of this family. He knew his family lived here, yet why? Why did they live here? What is the purpose of this statue that....haunts him? 

Right after he left that small town, he never came back. He was taken by Sandman's shifting sand and got lost in the woods. The little guy tried to help him. Yet he never understood. So they left and went on separate ways. Then he came back here, like he didnt mean to leave so soon. He regretted what had happened to them. Why was he such....a childish brat? 

Jack sighed, looking up peculiarly at the father, Thaddues Burgess, with guilt. 

Just....guilt 

Lowered his head, he looked to his right and...not surprised that the girl was walking away. I mean, come on. Its a statue of colonials who took this beautiful land and stole it. He doubt that anyone was actually _interested_ in the history of Burgess.

"Yeah it was kind of boring to look at huh? Been staring at it for years *sigh* it's not getting any greener"

Then he heard the girl come back and turned his head to see her carrying a stick. He raised an eyebrow. The girl then took a pile of snow and began drawing in it. 

She was communicating with him. 

She opened her fat book of myths to an index on winter. She was looking and writing down something. After a while, she was beginning to feel the coldness and darkness of the night. The moon being the brightest light. Jack looked up at the moon and sighed. He still wasnt talking. 

"You cold? Well i dont have any blankets, got this cloak. Also you can't read in the dark. Hmm" with a swish of his staff, instant bolts of ice came out at both sides, settled on the mounds of snow like electricity, giving her light. 

How does he know how to do this? Well, if you were pissed off for 4 years about death and war and loss of children. Winter is bound to get chaotic. Those myths about him bringing destructive winter weather? Blizzards of 64 inches of snow? Yeah all him being an emotional time bomb. He had managed to control those ice bolts to his whim.

The girl was shocked at the creatures strange ice magic. She wrote to him in the snow. 

"Invisible ice mage? No kiddo, I'm not" he crossed that out with a swipe. The girl, Elizabeth, flipped her book and kept writing. "Ice Wizard? Nope. Yeti? Haha. Phil your in this book. Ice witch? Not a women. Skadi? Who's that? A giant? Nah. Ded Moroz? Um..no. Yuki--what? I dont know. Father Winter? Ho, dont want to be a dad. Boreas? You mean Aurora? Geez how many myths are in here?!" 

Jack, one who was just having fun with her and not telling her who he was, became tired of her guessing. She really needed to get to sleep. It's....well its 2 in morning. 

Jack saw her continue to to flip the pages and scribble in the snow. Suddenly, the page she landed on slightly freezes and she looked up from her book to see more magic at play. What happened was he was forming a ice bed out of snow with the moon above it and a clock. 

Sighing, Elizabeth stood up from the cold floor and took her book with her. Jack didnt bother to thaw the frost from her page and saw her turn around to go to her house. 

As she finally left him be, jack huffed out in relief. He was about to leave to North's workshop to ask him about Ded Moroz, but heard the voice again. The same voice that was his sister's. 

_....Jack!....Jackson...._

Following it, he landed on the frozen pond and saw the ripple again. The ripple from hours ago in Paris was now here. The ice below him changed, from his ferns to jagged diamonds. Closer look through the ice, he saw the same pattern, the 8 edges, the ruins and the crystals. The voice was suddenly gone again. He sighed and flew up and away from Burgess. 

....His sister was gone again.


	3. In The Diamonds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> North's globes had suddenly gone missing and now the guardians had to spread presents their own way. Meanwhile, Bunny is confused about Norse runes in Burgess.

[Workshop, North Pole]

[December 23 2027]

2 days away, Christmas is just 2 days away....oh no no no. This was bad, this was very bad. Very Very Bad! NOT GOOD TIME! 

Not good! Cookies! Cookies! 

"Elves! Cookies! Fruit Cakes! Hurry!" North snapped his fingers, looking down with his eyes in panic. Holding his head as the trinkets, toys and other gadgets roam aimlessly through his quarters. Chaos ensures that there was something going on, and it was NOT GOOD. 

Just in time, the elves barged inside the quarters with trays of cookies and fruitcakes, sided with two cups of milk. Quickly pacing through the hectic that was Norths office. Well, almost every Christmas it was like this, busy, checking letters, busy making ice sculptures, busy planning toys and trips. He had it all down and planned. Usually close to Christmas. Everything was quiet in the Workshop. Yet not this year. This year was....different. 

"Ah! Thank you! Thank you Thank you!" North kissed the elve's cheeks before placing him down and munching on the cookies and fruitcake. This was North stress eating. Though you barely see any of it. Gulping down a glass of milk, North looked through his long list of kids, both naughty and nice. But that wasnt what he feared. 

He feared something else. 

"Agh! Romonavs! Catherine! How did this happen?! I barely had any left! And they were all, they're all....GONE! GONE AWAY from my reach!" 

The door suddenly opened again and who came in was a blue caped guardian he has never seen in a while. He stood up straight from his seat, trying to look proper and ready for the holiday before it began. Though the room spoke otherwise. 

"North! Whoa there!" Jack took a look a round the office and ducked down from an ice train falling towards him. Luckily he caught it with his magic. "Whoa North....uh" Jack continued stepping around the legos on the floor and also the wires of new age robots. "Can I ask you something?" Jack placed his slender hands on one of his cookies, grabbing one from the plate.

"Yes Jack what is it? Cant you see I'm busy?" North smiled, trying to keep his cool. "So.... have you heard any strange voices lately?" 

North raised his eyebrow "voices? The only things I hear is toy madness and talking cowboys. I mean, have you heard of this?" Suddenly North took a doll that looks too much like Woody. Pulling the string, it talked "Ride'm Cowboy!" "and his weird alien ship friend" he took out a toy that looked too much like Buzz Lightyear. Pressing a button, it spoke "To Infinity and Beyond!" North chuckled staring at the strange dolls.

"Its weird how children are like these days. Wanting toys from movies. Like I can't actually make one of those myself! Hmph!" He dropped the toys down and cleared the table of fruit cake and cookies. Jack had the opportunity to steal more cookies in his hoodie for later. North cleared his throat. "Sorry to come barge in close to your big day" he scanned around again to see it was more hectic than before with all the new gadgets and updates on toys. "No no it's fine. I need a little chill in my life" he patted the table with a smile. 

Jack blinked in honest confusion, then he got it. "Oh! Chill, Haha, good one!" he made a Cheshire grin. 

"So, again what brings Jack Frost here?" 

"...I don't know what Mani wants me to do, I've been going around and around the world and I still...I _still hear it_ " Jack got off of the desk and continued pacing. "Like...its just...there! This stupid voice keeps calling out. It sounds like my sister but... I just don't know where it came from. And its hurting me North!" 

North watched him pace around the room, I mean HE should be pacing around the room and not the winter spirit. North placed up a hand and stood up, walking towards Jack who was now slightly taller, yet more grown in the body. He patted the young spirits shoulders. "Are you sure it's not Pitch trying lure you in again?" "Pitch? No he's still, he's still gone. A little fear doesn't do much for him to come back" "Oh but there is still fear out there, made by warlocks and tyrants!" "Heh, I remember" jack looked down bitterly. 

"Why do you think it's man in moon?" "I...I just, every time I try to talk to him, he doesn't respond. I ignore him for years, I get tired but I know he's listening to me, but.."

"Then listen to him. Listen carefully" "I try North, but I'm just to...to" "impatient? Quick?" 

"....Distracted...worried...that this is my only duty in life. Not like I get to _choose_ like humans do. Not like they get more comfort or something. Its nor like they're _crazy_ and _talented_ and _passionate_ and deadly...and having such rich hair..." jack mumbled the last part, messing up his own hair. "And growing up...physically. I mean look what I can do now North! And it took me up to _327 years_ to figure this out! Not like when one human grows just in a blink of an eye!" 

"Jack...do you miss...?" 

"What? What do I miss? My Sanity? My Invisibility? My sister?" 

At this, North closed his mouth and turned away from Jack. Looking up at the ice train tracks above them and sighed. "Jack...shes dead, long gone. You saw death with your own eyes many of times" 

North felt the temperature drop and shook his head again. "We're all we have. Every spirit is our family now Jack. Humans live...short and I say: It's not fair" he turned around to see Jack's hood over his eyes. Seeing clear frosty tears cascade and hearing sniffles. North was taken aback by seeing the boy cry, but nonetheless, he was a boy through and through. 

"Come here. Come here. Give me a hug" North placed his arms out with a warm smile and suddenly felt a small build hugging him back. North embraced him as he let little jack frost cry out in sorrow. "i just...I just can't get her out North" "i know...I know..."

* * *

[December 24, 2027]

Bunnymund was hoping around the workshop, looking to help North out if he could. Gathering his presents and placing them in the correct houses according to the Nice List was hard work. But he was quick as a Pooka could be. He heard Toothiana give orders to her own fairies, bringing in and carrying presents as fast as they could get before Christmas arrived. Sandman had tried to keep the presents and carefully stacked them under trees in the house, while stealing a few cookies. 

Before they left doing their work in helping North, Bunny was in charge of location picking. 

"Okay, so..." Bunnymund cleared his throat as he fast checked through the Nice List. "Toothiana you got most of the Asia, including Japan and Korea. I feel sorry for those guys. Sandy, you have southern continents, southern africa, america and Australia, although I should be doing it for the irony. Anyway! North gets all of Russia and I get North America!" Bunny scrolled up the list as best as he could, after being the second most important, it had always seem a fair trade to help each other out when I gets an unlucky year. "So, we're all good? Got all the presents ready to go?" Most of them said yes, but Toothiana looked worried. 

"Oh come on tooth it'll be fine, you have thousands and thousands of fairies to help you across Asia" "that's not what I'm worried about Bunny...its Jack...he hasnt let go of his tooth box. I tried to tell him that he can only see what seemed important...he just doesn't want to give it up" 

"Alrighty then, Jack can have Europe! Now that settles the picture!" Bunnymund couldn't stop grinning at his own planning of the locations. He held everything in order and he liked it that way. 

After the team decided on where to go and send the presents. Jack was the only one left in the workshop. Still looking at and into the box. He couldn't stop hearing his sisters voice. No matter how much he wanted it to stop, he just...couldn't. He missed her. After finding out he had a family, he somehow grew emotional, unstable, miserable at remembering. Like he never said his last 'I love you' or 'goodbye'. Her smile was precious to him. He wanted to keep it that way. "You're going to be fine..." 

Replaying it over and over, mindlessly with the smiles and laughter he saw on his sister, with his mother telling them to be careful. Why of all times does it hurt so much? Why didn't it hurt years ago after he saw those memories? Well he was stuck and couldn't do anything. Hoping for answers to his questions of himself. He did ask Mani for help to find where his sisters voice was. But all that came was a weird looking snowflake symbol he saw before. After seeing his death and the moon for the last time today, he finally got up, sighing heavily as he wiped his tears away. What was he thinking? He cant go back to the past, he can't live like a human again. It doesn't have to be for his little sister. This is his life, his reason to be who is now.

_'The past is the past'_

Jack kept saying as he kept his cape hood over his head and saw baby tooth fly to him. He looked at baby tooth for a few seconds, seeing the resemblance in the creatures eyes. "You know.." he smirked at the idea. "You could be a cute little frost fairy of mine" He tipped its beaks and continued towards his sack of presents labeled Europe. "Heh, Frost King. I like that" he chuckled as he escaped through the open window of the shop.

* * *

Bunnymund had already arrived in USA, walking through the towns as it snowed lightly in the dark of night. Bunny shivered, rubbing his arms as he walked slowly through the cities and towns. "Should've known that lad would'a come here and freeze this country to death. HOO! That's cold" Bunny shivered as he hopped towards his first chimney and feeling the thin icy sheets on his paws. Touching the chimney icicles as it froze in place. "Yeah...I'm not going down there Santie. I'll just use my way" Bunnymund thumped his foot, creating a black hole for him to easily get into the room. He had done this for most of the houses and cities. Some houses were more futurist in setting hidden cameras and lasers if intruded.

Bunny rolled his eyes. ' _Jeez, won't they ever get enough with security? Censorship my ass'_ He placed two pieces of coal under the Christmas tree in the middle of an office room and left the scene. After Bunnymund had successfully traveled from east to west, including Canada might I add. He left the best place for last to give presents: Burgess. Jack's hometown! Well, Tooth told him that this is Jack Frosts home before he...became a spirit. Though...he had never thought of death that way. He and the others didn't die to become sprirts, he was the last of his kind. So of course Bunnymund was chosen. 

Bunny shook his head at the thought and came out of his hole into the town. Where he had appeared was the town square, or a statue of the family. He still had no idea why they would make statues out of copper to be as conquerers of others land. It just....felt wrong. To "conquer" and "find" a land that never belonged to you, that belonged to the native tribes of this country. Though he has forgotten who they were....Cherokee maybe....yeah Cherokee. Bunny nodded as he hopped along into the different houses, one of them was Jamie's house. Bunny smiled at the thought. Though he has stopped caring about egg hunts and church themed ones, he still thought of Christmas as a holiday. He took out something from the box and placed it in the stocking after delivering all the electronics and gadgets that Bunny never really liked. 

The last house he went to was a surprise. He appeared in a blonde haired girls bedroom instead of downstairs where the trees were. Though he did walk around the lights hanging up from the bedroom ceiling, he saw a small tree, decorated next to cookies and milk. "Ah, there it is. Just a small little tree? hmm, lets find your present" Bunny searched for the present in the bag, but was shocked there wasn't any last box! There was no more of anything. The bag was empty. "Crikey, this did not go as planned. Maybe it dropped somewhere when I hopped about?" Bunnymund kept snooping around for something of a present, he didn't find anything except an old, red hard covered book, tabs made out of a golden linen and inside of the pages were worn, but still readable. Bunny couldn't help but be curious and looked through it. Seeing the ice and frosted paper between the pages. He could tell that Jack had been with her. Bunny shrugged and opened the book to the frosted page and widened his eyes. 

There on the page in blue ink and color was a picture of a white haired, blue skinned man. Wearing either fancy or poor clothing. His attire was ice, ice and crystals formed his crown as well as the edges of his navey blue and frosted attire. He was standing strong, summoning winds, snow and leaves around him. despite his whole appearance, there was a warmth his eyes. A good king, a good man. There were little fairies around him too, frost fairies. What a little tale, a creative little tale about the frost king. Though, it was uncanny that this king looked like an older version of Jack Frost. Well not to mention this King is named Jack Frost in the story. 

Well, nevermind that. Bunnymund glimpsed at another page that glowing slightly, seeing crystals come about. He turned a few pages to see that three thick snowflakes had been hugging the paper, but it was still see-able. The picture on this one was the same shade of blue, yet more whiter. A white dress, white hair, icicles and around her clothing, blue whitish skin, and a look of distance, cold, serious and menacing. To Bunnymund, that look was a look of exhaustion. She looked tired of her duties, but she wasn't alone. Instead of frost fairies, there were snow creatures. Both of those pages were a different version of each other. Male and Female spirits of winter. He found it odd that this girl even had a book like this on her dresser. It was an index and a bible of myths, legends and stories from the world. He wondered if the Easter Bunny was also in the book of myths. 

Bunnymund chuckled to himself and shook his head with a smile. _'Nah, maybe next time. Maybe I'll just give her these eggs, I know it's early, but happy easter'_

At that, he left the room and was expected to go back to the workshop. Yet he came back out to the statue again of the family. He looked around "Hey what's the big idea?!" He asked no one, then he jumped back in, only to jump back out to the same location. Bunnymund was confused and he tried again, and he came back again. "What is going on here?" he looked towards the ground to see familiar frost patterns. Ah, of course, little Jack was playing with him again. "alright come out Jack! No more games. I got all the time in the world for-" But he stopped, seeing something glow from afar.

"Uh...that's...odd" Bunny went over to the blue and white light some ways away. As he finally got there, he saw the pond, and what he saw in the pond as he got closer, was....a symbol...glowing under the thick piece of ice. Frosty ice. Jack had been led here and now he was gone. Yet that symbol...got brighter, he heard another noise, but he never heard that type of noise before. He leaned in closer to see the the symbols carved into the snowflake. It...It wasn't a snowflake, it never _was_ a snowflake. He knew those runes. He saw them in Easter Island, and in Scotland. Norse Ruins. He saw them before, yet never like this. Only on rock circles and stone heads. "Spirits...Crikey...I better tell North about this one" Bunny thumped his foot and tried again, and he finally got back to North's Workshop in a minutes time. 

* * *

Sandy was the last member to show up in North's Workshop after sending in the last present in Sydney. As he approached on his little plane he saw three different expressions from the three older guardians. Bunnymund looked nervous, Toothiana looked confused and North was speculating. Sandy had dropped in, literally, from his plane as it flown off somewhere else. As he walked towards the three, said three were talking about...well runes in the water, specifically diamond shaped runes. 

"Wait...you saw the same runes in Tibet?" "What are you talking about? There's no Christmas in Tibet!" "Well I was roaming around looking for scattered teeth. I also found the same shaped symbol in Philippines, and in Beijing...not to mention India..." Toothiana was going about as she flew with her faeries to the globe. "What about you North? Did you see those runes too? Snowflake symbol or-or something?" "Hmm...Siberia...Ural Mountains, Moscow, St. Petersberg and at..." "There is no Christmas in the Ural Mountains! Seriously what were you two even doing!-" Sandy watched as the banter went on between the three guardians, waiting for some type of turn. 

"-Bangladesh, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Iran-" "Hmm...really? I did see one over Alaska-" "-Why would you go over to Alaska for?! We both seriously agreed that I would-" "Mongolia, China, Korea, Japan-" "But you did say you saw one on an island...what about Mexico?" "I DIDN'T GO TO MEXICO you-" "-Taiwan, New Guinea, Javaland-" "Oh than what about Australia?" "What ABOUT Australia mate?" "-look I'm just saying-" "Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Nepal-I FORGOT ABOUT NEPAL!" "TOOTH!" "AH I'M SORRY!" 

Sandy just watched as the chaos unfolded in front of the him, seeing his three co workers go at it and arguing about some runes around the world. Then he noticed a certain blue cloak creek up from the window behind them, swiftly dodging whatever was happened in here and towards Sandy. 

"Hey Sandy, What'ya watching?" Sandy turned his head to him and gestured his speech in symbols of all three arguing, the world, countries, mountains and...and that same symbol he kept encountering... Jack sighed as he sat on a desk, holding his staff in both of his hands, looking down at the floor with his bare, cold and pale feet. "Oh...Oops.." he mumbled. Sandy, hearing the grumble of the young winter guardian, gold sand nudged the blue cloth. Jack looked over at Sandy and saw his expression of worry. Jack smiled half-heartily. "I...guess I could help you...after becoming a guardian, well just recently, 27 years later. I heard a voice...my sisters voice to be exact, and it sounded like she needed help, she needed to be saved. The voice got louder as I approached cold freezing waters. Then I would somehow just stand there, watching my reflection and ice covering my view. Yet the ice was completely different from my own, so jagged, so dusty, so solid. Not as soft and I know it. But then every time I would walk on the water, seeing that same damn symbol everywhere. So I tried to get away from my sister's call and towards other countries. I...I told North about it...He thought it was from Pitch, but I didn't see it. I saw no fear in those symbols, and I felt no fear hearing my sister's voice again. So...that's why they're arguing" 

Sandy nodded in understanding and patted the boy's shoulder. "Thanks man, you're a good listener" Jack smiled sheepishly and stood up to walk towards the others. The three eventually stopped fighting and stared at Jack curiously. "Where the hell have you been?" Bunnymund asked "Uh...giving presents to children in Europe?" "Is your bag empty?" Bunny squinted his eyes. Jack puffed and took out his giant red sack, there was nothing in it but air. "All done cottentail" He dropped the red bag from where he was floating. 

Though when the bag dropped to the ground, there was a thunk. A thunk that something was inside, and it was hard. Jack stepped down from the air and picked up the bag. It still felt....so light, like there is nothing it, yet when he dropped it again, another thunk and it glowed. 

Jack took the bag back up quickly and over his shoulder, probably missing a present. "Uh...I guess I forgot one" "Oh really? Then get hoppin' before sunrise!" Bunny crossed his arms as North was about to retort. Jack went back out of the window into the cold snowy night and began flying back to Europe. Jack opened the bag to see the glowing item and was shocked that it was a tooth box. Closed tight, he turned it to see who it. A picture of a platunium blonde girl with braided hair, blue eyes and a headband. 


	4. Here Lies Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack looks inside the tooth box

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fact: Arendelle location is based off of Bergen, second capital of Norway, so in this case...Arendelle => Bergen

A golden hue reflected on the lens of blue and gray eyes. Jack Frost was currently caught in shock that there was a tooth box in his bag, which he never even recalled it being there! He has seen and checked the bag and presents again over in case he missed anything, yet...this mysteriousness of a box came out of thin air and in the bag. He had hoped that Tooth didn't see the glowing shine through the bag when he lifted it up, since it was bright enough. Yet as he flew through the winter night, clouded with snow almost at midnight, he scanned the box through and through. It was closed shut, which was good and bad, because after staring at the picture of the girl for a few seconds. Seeing her blue eyes, braided hair, fair skin and smile. Curiosity grew. He _had_ to know! He had to know who that was...he felt like...he had _seen_ her before once in a blue moon. He _had_ to remember who she was. That maybe, maybe they were the same in ways he didn't know. 

He held the box tight and placed it in his pocket as he flew off to what he presumes is Norway. 

Maybe he wouldn't open it now, though he had Baby Tooth with him on his journey, he didn't want to risk seeing a child's memories that were probably long gone. He knew how lives were...short and taken in a matter of years. Why did this matter to him? Well he had no idea...he was just...lonely without fellow human companionship. Companionship that involved _knowing_ and _believing_ him, not watching the snow and say 'Oh its just Jack frost, haha' Or 'The weather is so odd this year''. Of course he went around the world, it wasn't that hard after having 300 years of flight experience and being a free spirit. He just...wished he had someone....someone he would get along with that weren't guardians. OF course humans were alright, animals were fine, well until they start going crazy out of nowhere.

Jack shook his head. _'Wishful thinking, Jack, Wishful thinking, there is no one out there a mixture of both human and spirit.'_

 _'Well._ _..back in the library! when you must be dead to be reborn into a spirit. Or something, or you get reborn and get trapped here as a spirit. Yeah no, that's not positive thinking Jack.'_ The spirit shook his head again and just kept on flying towards Norway. 

As he got there to one of the Capitals of Norway, Oslo, he saw the usual modern capital cities he has seen before with the other types of towns nearby the fjords. He had spent an amount of time in Scandinavia, awing at the sights in Finland, Siberia, Northern Sweden and the mountain ranges of Norway. If he had a world map with him, he would've checked almost everywhere in the world. His first place would obviously be Pennsylvania, his home state, second choice would probably be Scandinavia. He loved the lush green forests of summer and the dreadfully dangerous deep snow of winter.

Jack frost scanned around as the darkness continued to contrast the stars and the Northern lights shining brightly in the sky. He hovered over the city of Oslo, figuring out the passageways and buidlings of the capital, but to no avail, he never really found the owner of these baby teeth. Though he was _sure_ that he had flew by all of Scandinavia to drop children presents in every home. Even the ones who were tribesmen, like the Sami people had some kind of gift. Yet going around a few laps in Norway, he didn't see the box glisten for anything or anyone in the Capital. Maybe he had to try another city. Bergen is the second biggest city, so he must know these teeth belong in some big capitals....

Though....why would anyone want their baby teeth back as a Christmas present? Ugh. Just...just keep looking for the owner...you'll find them eventually...

Jack Frost flew with the cold night wind towards the city of Bergen, seeing the river town with their little houses and mostly modern buildings. He had kept flying as fast as the wind would take him to the source of this stupid box, each stop with a child, he would look at the box, yet get slightly more frustrated as midnight closes in and it was already the holiday. After searching and searching, zipping from one place to another in Bergen, he figured that this child didn't really live in any city at all. He shrugged and shook his head as baby tooth did the same gesture. "Looks like I can't find her. Maybe she died? Moved somewhere else? *sigh* this is getting ridiculous...maybe I should look inside her memories and see who she was..and why this box appeared in my bag" 

Jack shook it, hearing the teeth jingle, but he saw no glowing light like he did before. Maybe it was the city lights blocking it out, so he flew away across the the fjord and kept going until he could finally see the clear starry sky. He sat down a mountain peak. "Finally some alone time. Those cars were driving me insane..." Jack flipped his hoodie down as the cold windswept his snow white hair. He puffed and stared down at the tooth box. "Okay baby tooth, lets see who she is" Jack placed his hand over the blue diamond. 

* * *

[Arendelle, Norway]

[November 10, 1824]

A girl with light blonde hair and another girl with ginger hair were playing among themselves, giggling in their own room. The ginger haired girl smiled, clearly lost a tooth at her age, and was playing with her older sister. She was playing with...snow dolls, snow figures that suddenly appeared out of nowhere in their bedroom. "Can you tell us a bed time story?" the ginger girl asked as their mother was behind them. "Well, um, what story would you like to hear?" Their father, who Jack thought of was the King, held out a candle. "Tell us more about the enchanted forest!" the girl clapped as both parents looked at each other, then he began telling them the story. 

The next flashback had the girl play with her little sister, creating her own fun with ice. Then she hit her sister and fell, crying for help. "Mama! Papa!" Both parents ran over to the little girl. Then it showed the same girl looking out in terror at her future. Seeing mythical trolls in the process, talking to her about fear being her enemy. She coward and hid under her father's care. Then it shifted to the girl wearing small gloves, looking terrified and telling her parents to stay away. She was afraid. The last memory changed again as there were knocking. The same knocking he had heard when the box glowed before. The girl was now older, huddled up against her door as ice had frozen her room and surroundings. The knocking had stopped and he heard her silent sobs as the ice magic continued to creep in despair. 

* * *

Jack opened his eyes and breathed slowly, instead of a shock expression, his eyes were distant. Saddened and disappointed at the results of who she was. Baby tooth hovered over to him in question, seeing that Jack quickly hid his blue eyes with his decorated sleeve, yet she still saw the frosty tears fall down his cheeks. His teeth clenched as he held the box tight against his chest. Baby tooth looked at the young spirit in worry, making noises of a hummingbird. "I...I'm fine...I..." he sniffed again, feeling sudden emotions begin to resurface. He then curled himself against the mountain peak. "Ice magic....she had ice magic...h-how didn't I sense her until...until now?" He peeked up from his sleeve to see Baby tooth still looking concerned. Jack quickly rubbed his tears away and looked down at the box. He took a slow breath. "It was back in the 1820s, 207 years ago...back then I didn't know what was going on, I was still roaming around...why did I miss her? She had to conceal her powers for her little sister" 

Jack took a moment to calm himself down, after seeing that last memory, the jagged and spiked ice around her were the same jagged and rough ice he kept feeling, and he kept seeing in the water. Though, now...she was probably dead. Since...Arendelle had collapsed and turned into this city 207 years later. Yet...he _still_ has no idea why he had it in his grasp. Maybe he should go back to Tooth's place and put it away. The winter guardian stood up from his spot and leaped himself into the air, feeling the wind take him away.

As he was heading towards North's workshop, a knocking sound echoed in his head and the combined words of his sister had stopped him. Jack took out the princess' tooth box and saw it was still glowing...there were more memories to be shared? Jack stopped in his tracks and quickly opened the box again. 

* * *

[North Mountain, Norway] 

The princess, now a queen, was running away from her castle in terror, walking on the water and freezing the surrounding river and drowning the kingdom of Arendelle in a forever winter. She ran, and kept on running into the mountains. The snow around her shifting into icicles, targeting the opposite direction where she ran. 

Hours later, the queen had stopped and sat down on the blanket of snow, tired and breathing heavily. She wasnt hungry, she wasnt freezing either, she was just tired. Yet worry and fear held her in her eyes. She had stopped in a pretty forest, frozen willow trees and a waterfall surrounded her.

She looked up to see a branch of frosted coated twigs. Glistening in the darkness. The moon was awake, brightly displaying its light. The scene of these frozen trees she probably designed while running, awed her in wonder. She calmed her breathing and relaxed as she admired the shimmering lights of frost in the trees. Like they were made of crystals. 

She stood up, continued on her journey to the North Mountian. Walking onto the frozen river she also thought she froze due to tempeture. 

"So pretty..." she whispered, a smile crept on her face as she looked around her. The grass froze, the trees dangled frozen water and frost below its branches. The river and stones were cold and white. The stars shined above as the moon displayed its light down to her. 

Her smile grew a little more. She did this, right? It wasn't so harsh, the crystals around weren't so dark or dangerous. 

Her moments of wonder were gone when she remembered how dark it was, how cold and dim the stars were. She was still alone. Still fleeing from a possible hunt. They called her a monster, a sorcerer, a witch. 

Fear lingered, pain lingered and she kept going, running away from the beautiful scene of frozen trees and up towards the mountian. 

* * *

Jack was back at the mountain he just came from, leaning his body again the cold and dark rock. Staring directly at the moon before him, ways away from the area and so close to him before. His arms crossed, floating yet standing on the mountain, looking as cool as he could while questioned. Eyes squinted at the celestial nightlight. 

"Mani...there's something you're not telling me....and I know I'm not listening because I'm an idiot for not looking sooner...." 

No response came from the light. 

Jack tapped his slim fingers against his cloth, the tooth box held tightly with his staff against his body. He waited for some type of response. Telepathically Mani would respond in whispers of the wind or like a ghost in his head. Jack had seen it, he had seen her admire his work in Norway. He had been brought there by the wind and wanted to make something pretty out of it. 

It was an escape for him to make him know he wasn't alone with being Invisible. Of course he had met other spirits, like Cupid for example when no one saw him shooting arrows or flying about. 

He had seen Cupid fly with those bird wings of his, so red as his fiery passion for love in this cold and hate filled world. Though, that angel was, after all, an angel of love. He was like Sandman. A spirit that was a concept of love. Cupid was....well confusing with his own origins. 

That fiery slightly-armored angel stated he was a star, so much older than Santa or even Sandman himself. That love for eachother and compassion was there in humans since the very beginning. He had plenty of tales just like the other guardians. Yet he wasn't a guardian of children. Cupid was free, a bit mischievous like himself. He admired that angel despite him being well...passionate about his job, having his moods swing about and wanting justice for the love that suffered in wars and death.

Jack sighed, thinking about that angel really made him wonder if he...well, if he saw that women in that kind of light. 

That he remembered going there and freezing the area with cold weather, not knowing the trees would freeze and make something so beautiful. He had been there, looking around and forgetting everything about wars and famine Europe was in. In fact...maybe he _has_ seen her before in that area. She was just sitting there, looking wonderfully at the frozen branches. 

Her blue eyes twinkling, seeing the light of the stars also twinkling in the darkness of night. He thought he was seeing her at the frozen waterfall, but she didn't. 

That was the only time he saw her as she stood up and ran away back in the dark. 

The spirit closed his eyes and smiled of that resurfaced memory. He grabbed the tooth box out in front of the light and faced the diamonds towards the full moon. "This box...you gave me this box didn't you? Out of thin air? Like how Cupid places his feathers near suffering people?" 

He didnt hear anything but the same echoes of his sister pleading his name like before. Jack placed his cold hand against his head. 

"Please...just tell me why I'm hearing her again. I checked the box for an answer but..I just...I didn't see anything new at all. I thought her voice would fade from me. But..." he gripped the box harder and took another look at the blue diamond and then the girl's iconic face. 

"Now your telling me about her? Her life story? Her strange ice magic? I mean. I _know_ magic! I've _seen_ magic! Spirits _hold_ magic! Sandy has _golden sand_ , pitch has the same black sand. Cupid even has _pink flames_ for crying out loud!" Jack gripped his head and sighed in frustration. 

Baby tooth was still hovering about, looking at the winter spirit in annoyance. She then started squeaking near him to get his attention. 

Jack looked up at to see her annoyed look. "Oh yeah, I know you fairies fly around. That could be magical too" he smiled apologetically at the little fairy, who crossed her own tiny arms in a huff. Then he looked up at the moon again. Seeing that his ray of light had shined right at him. Jack winced at this and then saw the light move slowly from him and past him, slightly away. He turned around and saw the light shining on something...something glistening in the light. 

Jack followed the ray of light and stopped in awe. Before him, just behind the mountain, was a glistening castle. An ice castle. A palace made out of ice. ICE. And he blindly missed it. 

How couldn't he have seen something so...magnificently beautiful 200 years ago? Two hundred years ago....did he really _think_ it was that old? Maybe some ice mage made it. Or construction artists made this castle for decoration. 

It was a miracle it still stood.

Jack let out his breath as he flew over towards the palace. Looking around to see the stairs of ice forming a bridge. He gently landed on the ice with his cold bare feet. Holding the railing, the gently delicate carved ice railing, he felt the magic. Magic that _he_ knew. He knew the cold of ice, he's been using ice magic for storms, sculptures, scenery, power and fun for all his existence. The frost magic and cold came from him alone. 

Jack then walked up the stairs, wanting to feel this strange yet familiar magic. As he finally reached the giant ice doors of the palace. Detailed and fancy as one can make. He awed again at the beauty. "Wow...who ever did this....is beautifully talented. Even though he made his own castles that resembled actual medieval castles, this one was more creative. More unique and it blended with the mountain. 

Jack bit his lip, nervous. His hand was close to the door. He wanted to knock, but this was centuries old. No one lived here, no one was going to live here. The height, the temperature, the deadly winter night. It was no average human living conditions. It was like Mount Ararat. Or the Himalayas. Too cold and deadly for an average human. Some conditions for winter animals, like polar bears. 

Jack sighed, closed his eyes and finally knocked on the door. It echoed.

_Come to me now_

_Open your door_

He wanted to know, if...if this person was still even there...still alive...

He heard the door creek open.


	5. Frost Covered Ice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Ice Palace needs some remodeling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally got this chapter up. Had to rewrite it twice because I'm such an idiot and forgot to save in between.

The winter spirit blinked, his blue eyes widened as the ice door had opened itself. He had thought that the door opened on its own since the palace held a magical presence. His eyes darted down to see a stick and four fingers grip on the door, pulling the door further to reveal a...snowman looking up in curiosity. Jack caught his breathe, seeing that this snowman had...well had _eyes_ , human eyes. Black irises instead of coal he always used for his own snowmen creations. The snowman was built like any other snowman, three thumps of snow, coal buttons,stick for arms and a carrot for a nose. Except this snowman had eyes, an animated mouth and...eyebrows. Baby tooth had made the same shocked gesture, but hid quietly in the guardian's hood. Jack saw the little snowman and waved awkwardly to it. "Uh...hi?" 

What happened next was that the snowman gasped in surprise, causing Jack to jump a little. "Visitors! We...we have visitors! In the middle of the night! Oh my gosh--um, sorry this is just -hoo- this was so unexpected! W-wait wait here!" Jack watched as the is animated snowman did many gestures and expressions all at once. The last thing he saw was the snowman closing the ice palace door shut again. Blue eyes blinked twice, and looked over at Baby Tooth, who shrugged towards him. Well that was so strange, so bizarre to see a snowman alive...like that. Jack didn't know if he should have left by now or waited until the snowman came back. Well he didn't really seem to be bothered about talking creatures, he's met a few of them on his travels in hidden forests and mountains, yet encountering this....alive and talking snowman of all things really brought out two types of emotions. One was a little fearful, and the other was deeply impressed. That maybe there was some magic behind this talking creature. 

After a few seconds, the door had opened again to reveal the same snowman, pulling the door wide open and reveal the the same icy floor and two snowballs resembling feet of the snowman. "I'm sorry, I-I didn't know we would have visitors! But please, Come in come in! I know it doesn't look...cozy for outsiders, but you must be freezing out here. Wearing such little clothing" the snowman smiled warmly up at the man and walked back inside the palace, gesturing for him to come inside. Jack glanced back at Baby Tooth, who rested on his shoulder, shivering. She flew back into his jacket pocket. Jack sighed and followed the snowman inside the palace. 

Once he was fully inside, the door behind him had closed on its own, and Jack was left in awe. He stopped in his tracks seeing the inside of the palace as the snowman had kept walking. "It doesn't seem much, but it can be pretty comfortable with the snow mounds. We haven't expected anyone to come here for a long time" The snowman also scanned around the first floor of the palace, looking for something. Meanwhile Jack's eyes lit up, as he moved his bare feet unto the icy floor, he felt it. He felt the magic still radiating through the ground, the walls and objects that were present. The slight decor on the columns, the fountain made out of ice that reminded him of his time back in 1979, the stairs of ice that held a resemblance to royalty of some kind, everything. Everything here held magic, _Ice_ magic, spiritual magic that was just like his own.

Yet not like his own. 

He smiled, he just couldn't help himself. This was _ice_ , colored in a blue haze he has seen before in magic, yet there was a transparency in the ice showing skinnier staircases spiraling upwards to another level. There was a show of power and creativity in this palace. That someone had took their time to think of an architecture like this and actually make one in maybe, less than a day at least. It was beautiful to him. It was just as impressive as it was spacious, empty and isolated from the rest of the city lights. 

His focus returned and he blinked when the snowman talked again. "Come on out little ones! We have a visitor!" it screamed out into the empty palace. Jack raised an eyebrow, confused on what was happening. There was a cold silence before he heard countless squeaks from above and around him. For some seconds he had thought that there were mice in the ice palace, mice that were immune to the cold and lived here for no reason. He remembered his time with those magical mice, the first time he had seen them were in the 1820s. Those magical mice were 10 in number, yet had gone down to three over time. Years ago Jack had wandered deep into an old forest full of moss and old trees. He had sensed it was full of magic, and he was right when he had encountered a fancy clothed ginger cat that talked. He had thought the cat was domesticated and had been lost or some stray, but he wasn't. He had gotten his clothes from mice that resided in an old oak tree. That old oak was home to creatures he never knew existed. Fairies, pixies, leaf-men, spirits and what-not. The mice were blind, yet they can make clothing from any type of source and they had some fairies to help them get materials. No one knows why they make clothing, or for who in cases, but they were designers at best and Jack had made a deal with them. Decorating the old towering tree into something magical. After that exchange, the mice changed his old shirt to a hoodie made out of wool and his own ice magic. Of course he had decorated it with his own frost, but the thought of making clothing out of ice? That was a feature he wanted to know yet those mice never told him about it. Fairies had also helped him upgrade his clothing after the guardianship, though the hooded cape was picked up from an abandoned costume box. 

Yet what swarmed down the royal steps and appeared out of the halls and fountain weren't mice at all. Mounds and mounds of tiny, mini snowmen squealed with delight at the sight of Jack. As if they knew him or something. His blue eyes widened as tiny white _alive_ snowmen were descending by the 100's jumping, running around and what not with the most adorable tooth smiles on their faces. The bigger snowman was in the middle of the sea of baby whites, trying to calm them down from over excitement. Baby tooth had flew out of his hoodie pocket and zipped out the minis, looking at the snow white teeth and playing around. Jack's smile grew, seeing an huge army of mini snowmen reminded him of his own snowmen army that scaled from inches to 10 feet in height. Those snowmen wore clothes of their own, tin hats and sticks for weapons. They too were animated in a way but not as _alive_ and hyper as these things before him. 

He felt one, no five baby snowminis bump into him from behind and in front. He saw two of them jump on his feet, one blindly bumped into his leg and fell on the icy floor, one had snuck into his hoodie pocket to play and one had ran around him. Jack couldn't take it. He bent over, holding his stomach and covered his mouth from laughing and his cheeks hurting so much. A purple hue painted his pale face as these tiny creatures were jumping around and playing with him. Small coal button eyes were staring up at him, laughing in the same way he was trying so hard to compress. They were just-oh Mani- adorable, cute, mini hyperactive rascals. He loved it. Everything in this palace already he loved it. Jack felt the baby snowmen that were on him wiggle around, feeling comfortable in his equally cold presence. Oh god they were so... He couldn't explain in words how he wanted to see this person so badly. This person with the ice magic just like his. 

"Now now settle down everyone!" The bigger snowman clapped his stick hands together, getting the snowminis attention. "Part in groups so I know no one is missing. We should not disrespect our guest!" Suddenly, the snowminis all gathered together into separate piles. The ones Jack held in his hands had jumped down to be with their brothers. As the snowman was counting the minis, Jack didn't notice that the one snowman had the memory box resting on its head for balance until he saw Baby Tooth's reaction. Baby Tooth, after playing with the snowminis, had went back to Jack's side and squealed lightly at the sight of the tooth box not in his grasp. 

Jack saw the box and was ready to take it away from the mini, yet the bigger snowman saw it and took the object into its own hands, inspecting the golden box. "Where did you get this?" Black eyes stared at the diamonds on the front of the box before he saw a pale and cold hand snatched the golden box away. Jack quickly placed it back into his hoodie pocket. "That's mine, no one touches this" the snowmen glanced from Jack to the minis. "What did I say about manners? You can't go around and steal ones possessions like that!" He scolded the snowmini, who held a guilty expression. The guilty expression had worked as the scolding quickly changed into forgiveness and a happily naive smile. "Ooh~ I can't stay mad at you tiny troublemakers!" He gathered a handful of snowminis into a group hug, the minis cheered and squealed again. 

Jack had brushed the thought to the side as he saw the bigger snowman had shown generosity and kindness so far. He had wondered how these snowmen could...see him so easily. Not like the everyday humans who were busy with life or who thought they saw him. This snowman was made by magic, and so it could...see magical beings? Well Jack had thought that he was just a dead man, a ghost to everyone and had powers of his own he quickly grew to love and control. He hadn't really thought he is a supernatural being, a spirit of nature until he figured out that the cold storms and frost was his doing alone. "Uh...thank you for your hospitality...um..." "Oh! I'm so sorry. Now where are my manners? I'm Olaf!" Olaf stuck out his stick arm for a handshake. Jack took it lightly and let it go. "Olaf. How long has this palace stayed here in the mountain?" "Hmm...about...hmm. I don't...know exactly the date, but our last visitor stumbled here wearing so much heavy clothing and had metal sticks of his own. He got scared and ran down the steps and back to the city probably, no one came here ever since!" Olaf held that same goofy smile. Jack nodded slowly "Was he scared of you perhaps?" "Maybe...Maybe not, but he did mumble away saying this castle is cursed" 

Jack followed Olaf up the wide royal staircase as the snowminis followed behind them in a trail, one snowmini still chilling in his cape hood. "Cursed? Why is it cursed?" The winter spirit roamed his eyes around the high palace, seeing the beautiful blue layers of ice pillared together and connected to one another. It was so pretty, so sharp and so jagged, not like his own soft and delicate ice, there was obviously a contrast between his magic and hers, but he felt familiarity of his own nonetheless in this palace. This empty, spaciously cold, and isolated palace. _It was beautifully cold._

"Well.. I think the last time I been down there, i heard that news of an ice castle far, far north was cursed with a witch" Jack blinked in shock. "A-a witch?!" Olaf nodded "Mmhmm, but I don't think she's a witch, she made me after all!" Olaf didn't get rid of his smile and kept on walking up the staircase until they reached a bigger arched doorway. As they reached the entrance to the second floor, jack was startled at how utterly chaotic the room was in. The state of this huge room was full of ice spikes, ice walls around the middle of the room and a giant chandelier crashed into pieces on the floor. He hadn't realized that the balcony had been destroyed until now. "W-what happened in here?" Jack scanned the room, two snowminis were on his shoulder and in his palms as he halted in his tracks to see the sight. Olaf walked towards the broken object in the room where upon closer inspection, was a giant white snow monster, curled on the ground with a little object on its head. 

"Marshmellow! We have a guest! and he didn't run from us this time! Or threaten us!" Olaf went to the giant monster with a smile, poking the snow mound body with his stick arms. Jack blinked again ' _Threaten?_ ' and glanced to his shoulder to see the snowmini sitting on his shoulder, looking innocent. ' _Who would threaten such a creature like you?'_ He smiled warmly at the little snowmen who were standing behind and around him, as if following him only and not Olaf. Blue eyes settled back to the giant mound of a snowman starting to wake up and stood up from the damaged ground. "Olaf..." It said as said snowman jumped lightly with a smile. "Sorry to wake you up in the middle of the night but we have someone here" Olaf gestured back to the guardian, still standing there and questioning. He was questioning of why this snowman brought him in so quickly, why the minis were so hyper to see him and then show him this giant version of a snowman wearing...a crown. 

Was this Marshmellow the ruler of this ice palace? 

Jack was suddenly nervous again, yet he was excited to meet this creature, that this snowman could...no, no it was a women who had done this, who created this palace and creatures of snow. He held in his breath regardless. "Person?" The giant said again and Olaf nodded, looking up at Marshmellow, who was about 9 to 10 feet tall. "Yes. Go meet him..." Marshmellow then reacted, its black eyes turned a magical blue, glowing. Olaf held a look of confusion as the giant's mouth was glowing a lighter blue. Ice spikes were ascending from the soft snow of its body, not fully menacing but the spikes only stuck out half way. "Uh, buddy? are you?" 

"What's going on?" Olaf glanced back at Jack, shocked and confused as he was. "I don't know, I didn't do anything...but depending on his status right now, I suggest you run" "Why?" Suddenly, Marshmellow turned 180 and stomped over the broken chandelier, grunting with light blue eyes and spikes shifting about in an odd way. Jack didn't move an inch as he saw the giant snow monster stomp to him and seeing him face to face. Jack closed his eyes, ready to be smacked into a wall or where ever, but nothing came. The monster didn't do anything but stare at the white haired man for maybe a minute. He reopened his eyes to see directly into the creatures magical ice blue sockets. The ice was as hard as rock and shifting about on its head. Like it was sensing him or its form was interchanging from menacing to harmless. "Uh...mmm, Hi?" Jack smiled weakly, confused but also entranced by the magic in its eyes. 

Not a moment later, Jack felt huge cold arms grab him and embraced him into a squishing hug, twirling around as his legs dangled. Its hug felt like the force of 6 yetis going after him, but more softer as the snow of its body almost took him in. Marshmellow laughed, his ice spikes half way in the air as he kept spinning him around.

"Elsa! Elsa back! Elsa back!" 

_What?_

"Marshmellow let him go, that is not Elsa" Olaf placed a finger down to the ground. Marshmellow stopped in his tracks and released the man to the ground, who jumped lightly on the icy floor before catching his balance. "Not...Elsa?" blue magical eyes glanced from Olaf back to Jack, who looked up with an empathetic smile. "No..I'm not. Sorry" Just then, Marshmellow plumped to the floor, his form back to normal as his black coal eyes stared heavily towards the ground in disappointment. "Not...Elsa...hmm" The monster sighed and Jack rubbed the back of his neck, glancing at the ice spikes on the wall. What was he talkng about? Elsa? Was that her name? Pretty. "I'm sorry about that, I've never seen him like this before in all my years here" Olaf held an empethic look, his brows furrowed with a petty smile. "Well...when he had purpose of being her lookout, after that he just owned this palace and stayed here....sleeping" 

Jack walked over to the spiked walls, looking up at them in wonder, thinking as Olaf patted Marshmellow's giant hand. "Olaf...who...who is she?" He didn't stray away from the ice spikes on the walls, he had kept moving around to see the action before him, the walls, the spikes, the heaviness of emotion. "Elsa?" "Yeah, her" 

"Well.." Olaf walked towards the spirit and sat down against the cold wall that didn't hold spikes. Jack still inspecting the handiwork. "Hmm...she's a kind person, very helpful, hardworker. Sweet and independent. Introverted. Misunderstood probably. Loves her freedom...she would do anything to keep her family safe, anything to know who she was" Olaf's expression was sad, heartbroken as he looked across from him at the snowminis playing and cheering Marshmellow up. "I don't know how long its been...but she, well she abandoned this place after she became queen. Never really came back to it...Heh, I don't know why. She told me once that she never really belonged here, in a palace, or a kingdom. She never felt like she was royalty, but tried everything to keep Anna safe and away from her own ice powers. She kept...pushing us away, wanting to know more of herself..." Jack heard a sniff from below him. He saw Olaf...well...gesturing an expression of crying. "After Anna...well after she died from old age, Elsa didn't come back, she didn't want to fight the wars, remember the many pains that happened there..." 

"What about you? did you stay in the kingdom?" "I..yeah, I did. I was so happy back then, before the wars broke out and I had to hide. The best place for me was in the mountains. I felt at home here ever since. Yet after the wars ended and the kingdom...well died off....I tried going back there and staying for a while, but...it didn't work out" "So...you've been living here for...200 years..." Jack said under his breath, holding the touching the old ice spikes and wall. He felt that power still there, still flowing through the ice from centuries ago. "I'm sorry..." he grumbled. "It wasn't your fault, change happens for a reason...though I wish that reason didn't come to this" "It had to be done, you know?...this is your home...and Elsa is.." Jack stared at his own reflection in the ice pillar. 

He saw himself, he saw his own blue eyes staring back at him. He saw something of an understanding...there was an understanding between them. She was free, unique, determined, a protector of her family. She would do anything to keep her family safe...Olaf was part of her family. 

There was a silence in the broken room. The snowmen were quiet. Then a sudden snicker, a giggle and then a laugh coming from the guardian. The three snow creatures eyed him curiously as Jack lowered his head, hand still touching the ice pillar. "Um...are you okay?" Olaf asked. Jack calmed himself down and backed away from the pillar and spikes. What he did next shocked Olaf, seeing the man flick his hand to the spikes and watched it sink back into the pillar of ice. Jack's expression changed to one of fun, to one of wonder. He stared determinedly at his own reflection. "How did you do that?" Olaf breathed out in wonder as well. 

Jack winked at him, his hands on his hips. "You think this place needs some redecorating? Cause I'm thinking a make over" Jack's smile grew wider, his eyes still lingered towards fun, towards himself. Olaf watched him back away and cracking his knuckles. "Now, let's see here. Ice walls have to go, spikes are too threatening, needs some more decor over the pillars..." Olaf and Marshmellow watched the man control the ice around him, sending them back into the floor and where ever they appeared before. Suddenly, the pillars of ice had been covered in a frosty fern patterns of vines and plants no one has seen before. "Chandelier of course!" With a flick of his staff, the giant object levitated back upwards towards the very high ceiling of the palace. It went back to it's original form, yet even more so with flashes of ice bolts and frosty decor hanging. 

Jack then placed his arms out, his palms facing the walls and ceiling. His hands glowed a light blue, similar to Marshmellow's eyes. Snow flakes appeared, quickly fixing themselves in places there should be. The man laughed as he zoomed and zipped around, more ice and frosty decorations came out of no where around the formally destroyed ballroom. He walked over to one side of the room, making a giant throne out of ice and cushioned it with snow, he formed tall leafy plants on each side, holding a pattern of ferns and leaves. Ice statues of Marshmellow and Olaf were on the other side, wearing some type of royal clothing he had designed with his own snowmen. Jack smiled with delight, having fun as he continued to fly around the second floor, creating objects out of thin air, using his staff to shoot ice bolts into the sky. Resulting in a highly decorative ballroom of some kind. 

Olaf had watched him fly in and out unto the balcony and through the room to go down stairs. Black irises reflecting laughter and abilities this man beheld, there was a look of awe and admiration as he followed him. The snowminis had been jumping around excitedly, being covered in frost and falling on the soft mounds of snow. The floor of the ballroom had been covered in a soft yet thin layer of frost, decorating the already detailed and sharp snowflake pattern on the ground. 

Jack flew down to the steps, seeing the emptiness and spaciousness of the wall. Jack frosted the ice and drew many little elves and used his power to bring these tiny elves to life. The blue ice elves came out of the frost and Jack commanded them to decorate the walls with pictures and what ever objects could be used. Each ice elf had its own little bits of magic and created objects of sorts wall around the empty walls. Jack leaned closer to the stairways and touched the railings with his fingers as he flew. The railings were decorated in vines of flowers he had seen before. He entered the first floor and did the same to the wide stairwell, dancing and humming ho himself. He was having fun decorating the whole palace. Covering the ice in his own magic of frost and creating things he could think of. Go wild. He thought with a smile, raising his hands up in the air, magic crystalline ice covered the back wall in an image of the women he saw in the box. Decorating the fountain's base and glittering snow fell in a pattern on the frozen water. After the first floor had been furnished and decorated, Jack flew back up to the second room, seeing Marshmellow staring at the ice statue of himself and the snowminies playing around in the snow mounds. Olaf held his expression of wonder. Jack landed next to Olaf with that same grin. 

"So? What do you think? Better? I'd say it's not too crowded, not too empty. Just the amount" "...You...can do magic?" "Ah...I wanted to ask-" Jack was suddenly pulled into another big embrace by the snow monster. He twirled the winter spirit around again with another joyous laugh. 

"Male Elsa! Haha! Male Elsa!" Jack eyes widened, feeling the cold yet magical presence consuming his figure. He had forced himself out of the creature's hug. "Whoa whoa, I told you I'm not Elsa!" He had waved his cold hands in the air towards the giant. Yet the monster tilted his head in confusion. "But you do ice magic?" "Ah, Yes I do, but..." Jack curled his lips inward, glancing down at the playful snowminis. "I still don't really know why she has it...or why I have, but I'm not the male version of her I'm sure about that" He chuckled. "Also my name is Jack, not Elsa" 

"Everything is so pretty!" He heard Olaf behind him, seeing the the icy and glittering decor as the lights of ice magic swirled above them. "The patterns, the frost, the plants. *gasp* even those tiny blue ice people!" Olaf ran giddily towards the levitating and winged elves, hovering blue dusted magic behind them. The snowminis had also started to play with the tiny fairies. "Do you make these little guys?!" Olaf turned his head around 180 towards Jack, who was a little scared of that feature in snowmen. "Yeah, It..It wasn't that hard to figure out. I didn't really know I could any of this....It was some...strange power boost of some kind" Jack stared at his open palms, seeing his cold and pale hands carry a painted light blue. He was still growing, or his potential had been hidden and he was ignorant of what he was capable of. 

* * *

It had been 4 hours in the palace, Jack had been chilling on the Marshmellow sized throne, his hand flicking in the air, his growing magic dancing around his fingers, his other hand behind his head and a mocking ice crown upon his white snow hair. The snowminis were and the ice fairies were playing together, the baby snowmen climbing in towers to reach the height of the ice fairies, who were busy placing little designs on the ceiling. They squealed when an ice fairy had placed a snowflake pattern two of their faces and fell. They landed hard on Marshmellow, who had been making snow castles and figures of his own with a smile on his face. 

Baby Tooth had joined the ice fairies, trying to communicate with them. Olaf roamed around the ice palace and he arrived to the giant throne placed on the side of the ballroom which became a throne room. Yet as he was about to talk to this magical person, he saw that symbol again. Olaf stopped in his tracks to see not one, but two of those same symbols from the enchanted forest. Elsa had drawn him a picture of the same symbol and showed him what the diamonds had meant. Yet he never saw them in person, or yet reflected on the chair's back and floor next to him. He gasp lightly, remembering what Elsa had told him, that the symbol was an agreed connection between the elements and she was the bridge between them. 

The connection between human and spirit. 

He watched as Jack hummed happily to himself, his focus was on the ice magic tickling his cold fingers. That magic had turned to ice, a figure of a girl had been formed, slightly transparent yet there was a dust of light blue. he had no idea who that girl was, or why he can make ice statues. But Jack cupped the girl in his hands and sighed, maybe a happy sigh, maybe a sorrowful sigh, he didn't know. Olaf finally went to the white haired man. 

"Who's she?" "Huh?" Jack had came back to his senses and turned his head to see the 3 foot tall snowmen looking curiously at the ice statue in hand. "Oh...It's, it's my little sister" He sighed, looking into those icy eyes of the statue. "Hmm...what happened to her?" "Oh...uh...I..don't know" Jack rovered his eyes around, thinking what happened years ago he never remembered. "She...she" "Died?" Jack sighed. "Yes, Olaf. Died...probably of old age, I don't know. I don't remember" Jack shrugged, biting his lip. 

"Why can't you remember?" "I...don't want to talk about" Jack placed the statue in his hoodie pocket. "Oh...okay" Olaf had been staring at the symbol glowing on the ice throne above him. "I haven't seen that in a long time" Jack turned to him, confused. "Seen what? An ice statue?" Olaf shook his head and pointed past him to the chair. 

"No no, that symbol" Jack widened his eyes, and turned to his head back to the throne. There it was, that same cursed symbol he kept on seeing, haunting for probably 4 days now. Strangely he didn't here his sister's voice anytime today. "Wait, you've seen that symbol before?" Jack asked, not leaving his position and felt a snowmini jump in his empty hands. Olaf nodded his head "Of course! Years ago! On a drawing, but I never saw it in person before" But Olaf wasn't...nevermind, he's seen the symbol before, at least he had some kind of information. 

"Olaf...do you, know what that means? Because it's been following me for days, I've been trying to get rid of it but...it keeps following me" "Hmm...ever heard of a voice?" "Yes! A voice! My own sisters voice!" Jack's heightened tone alarmed the creatures in the throne room. Olaf jumped slightly. "I can't-! *sigh* I don't know where it's coming from, I feel like I'm going crazy Olaf" He placed a hand over his eyes, rubbing them. "I mean, I've seen plenty of crazy before. Talking cats, clothe making mice, a talking 6 foot tall rabbit, hybrids, anything really. Now I see a talking snowman who looks like a human. That crosses off of my bucket list" 

"What's a bucket list?" "I don't know! Some random kids talked about events when you grow older or something. Before you die you do stuff you want to do and write it down on a list, put it in a bucket or something" He waved his other hand to the snowman, still covering his eyes with his hand. "Hmm...well I did do so many things before I died" Jack widened his blue eyes and blinked slowly, trying to understand the situation. 

"Wait...you died? Well . You're a snowman I guess. No wait, let me guess, you were a human before and then you died?" "What? No...I flurried away. Everything was black and then I was back!" "So...you weren't human before?" "I don't think so!" Jack sighed and grumbled, sinking deeper into the soft snow. "So, why did Marshmellow react like that? He's magic too right?" "Yes! Elsa made him from her own magic!" "And he thought I was her, or a male version of her" "I guess so" 

"I have a question Olaf...do you..do you think she's...nevermind, I don't want to get my hopes up" Olaf tilted his head, confused. "Anyway. This symbol" Jack pointed to the symbol on throne. "What does it mean?" "Well...I think it has as to deal with supernatural elements" "Spirits of Nature?" "Yes that's it! It has to deal with that!" "So...this symbol...has something to do with me being a spirit of nature?" Jack shrugged, taking the golden box in his hand, staring at the diamonds. Well, he knows he is a spirit of nature, he's Jack Frost, the bringer of winter, the season of white and chilling weather. Baby Tooth then flew down to him and landed next to the golden box of Elsa's memories. Blue eyes then sparked in realization, he needed to bring the sack back to North! 

Jack quickly stood up, putting the golden box back into the red sack quickly opened the balcony door. "Where are you going?!" Olaf asked as he saw the snowminis run after his flowing blue cape. "I forgot about something, I uh...I need to leave. Thank you Olaf. Merry Christmas!" At that, Olaf saw the man fly off into the sky, leaving trails of snowflakes in his wake, gingerly falling down and landing on Olaf's carrot nose. A sudden giggle came out of the snowman's mouth. "Thank you Jack!" he waved back to him as the snowminis jumped about around him. 

The winter spirit flew back to North's workshop, then back home. 


	6. Gifts from the Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jamie has a strangely cold gift for Christmas, and Jack is followed by tiny companions

[Burgess, Pennsylvania]

[December 25, 2027]

Sunlight crept from the slightly frosted covered windows of Jamie's room. The 23 year old blinked and groaned, the light hitting right on his eyes. There was a knock on his door and the sound of Sophie's voice spoke through. "Jamie! Wake up! Santa came by again! And he gave us bunny chocolates!"

Jamie groaned, not wanting to deal with his sister. For crying out loud, she's 19. Sophie was still believing that Santa had came. She was old enough to know that the presents were from their mom. He has seen it every Christmas month. After his shift in Barnes & Noble, he had gone to the Target in the mall to buy some clothes or games. Well mostly to see his friends from college. Every Christmas, before and after had parents, aunts, elderly and teenagers alike swarming for holiday decor. Wrapping paper and toys or what not in either bags or in their hands. At least it wasn't as bad as Black Friday where a sea of flesh flooded the place and rabid for on-sale goodies. That day was the most stupidest day of all days. 

Another knock came from the door in 3s. "Wake up Jamie! I'm not opening them without you!" 

'Then don't, I don't care' 

Jamie shifted in his bed felt the sunlight hit his eyes again. He squinted and hastily turned around. His eyes awake, his body awake like clock work. Every morning at 7 he would automatically wake up and not go back to sleep. It was due to the combination of work and college classes since he was trying- key word trying- to be productive, take responsibility and be an adult. Work hard and what not. Yeah right. He didn't want to, he still wanted to sleep in, still wanted the whole year to be a snow day. So no work, no school, no nothing. He was just one man in a billion that is tired of working all your life and being 'productive'. 

He needed rest, just rest. 

The knocking had died down and he heard the shuffling of feet away from his door. 

Finally

He felt the bed shake, hearing the buzzing noise under his pillow and feeling the vibration right under his head. Jamie opened his eyes and sighed, reaching for the phone and saw that Sophie was calling him. He answered. 

"Wake up, You have 4 presents under the tree"

"Ugh"

"Don't groan! Get your presents!"

With that, his sister ended the call and Jamie shifted in his bed. Getting up, he uncovered his sheets to see the sunlight glisten and warm the room in some way. All of his own creation toys from years ago had been tucked away and had been replaced by new technology. Black wires were in a mess as on the floor next to his working desk, which held a desktop and some trinket toys. There were posters on the wall with Marvel Superheroes and music bands. Books stacked themselves on shelves that were nailed to the wall next to his desk. Books about fantasy and mythology were still there, never really picked up and never really read. Jamie didn't have any time to finish those books since you know, social pressure to be like other people. Go to work, get a job, make as much money as possible to get away from the fear of being poor and dying in this already stressed out society. Jamie had brought books that dealt with Cults and governments were one of them, well more about a part of those cults. That each government around the world had agreed to make human lives miserable in the shadows, taking control of everyone in some way. 

He sat up on his new bed, slightly more stiff than the usual bouncy bed that he had when he was 8. His room had completely changed, and so had his own house had expanded in some way. His grandmother had stayed since his mom didn't want her in a nursing home. Jamie had been working for 3 years, yet he was half way done with collage since he took his time. Two classes as a time instead of the usually 'normal' 4-5 classes. A rush to get the colleges done and start to finally be free again...until they needed some type of job. So he still had free time to help his grandma around, even if she was getting, well...lost in her head from old age. 

Brown eyes winced as the sunlight had been warming his otherwise slightly cold bedroom. He was okay with the cold, plenty of snow had given him breaks from school and work for weeks. He didn't mind the cold late December snow or the frosty patterns on the windows in some occasions. The frost patterns had awed him in ways and had wondered how nature could do that, how nature could be so beautiful. Yet today the frosty patterns on his windows were ever so melting away from the sunlight's rays. Jamie stood up and saw his alarm clock: 7:57 AM and walked right over to the window and closed the blinds, blocking out the sunlight and the melted ice on the window. He relaxed his eyes, closing them from squinting at the sunlight, and opened them wider, blinking as the black dots had quickly faded from his vision. He slipped on his soft wool house shoes and walked past his calendar. His calendar had pictured the December month with winter tall pines and willow, decorated with frost and freezing plants. A red line had circled the day of Christmas, with his schedule of both work and school were shown. Concerts had been planned, vacations had also been planned, and 2028 had been planned. Or...at _least_ he had some type of plan for next year. Maybe drop out of college, go to England or Norway, get married or something. The usual 'normal' expectancy of the USA's 'American Dream' was: go to school, get a job, earn zillions of currency, buy a shelter- a _big_ shelter- get a car, marriage, kids etc. Hoping you have a productive and limited life. 

Jamie sighed, rubbing his temples. Why was he thinking like this so far ahead? It's a time for joy! Celebration! Wonder and fantasy! Not everyday depressive life that stupid people throw at you. Speaking of fantasy...

Jamie took his phone from the bed and unlocked it, seeing his main screen pop up showing Elizabeth holding her massive old and-probably ancient- book of myths, lore, legends with anything else inside. She showed those pearly whites with a massive grin, her ocean blue eyes glinted with joy as she held the cover of the book in her hands. Showing itself off to the phone camera. Elizabeth had been excited and agreed to show off her hand-me-down index of mythology to Jamie. Since they were close and such...well not as close as Jamie would have hoped, or close that Caleb would desperately want to tease over. But at lease he had a picture of her bright snow smile and her hair resting on her shoulders. 

He held his door handle as he stared at her image, thinking of her words and her enthusiasm to tales and folklore. He had been in the middle of opening his door when his phone had buzzed and the phone icon showed, startling him quite a bit. He saw the name above the icon and groaned, answering the call.

"Hey" 

"Soo?" 

"So..." 

" _Soo?"_

"...so?..."

"For the love of- Details! I want the details!" 

"The details? Oh! _Those_ Details...Well! No. I haven't. Bye" 

Jamie was about to hung up on his co-worker friend before he his voice grew louder. "You didn't ask her out?! Dude I thought you got this!" The man sighed with annoyance "Well turns out I didn't. She hasn't really shown up lately at the mall in the past 3 days. I had everything planned out: I knew when she was arriving. I jotted down some notes for myself. I bought flowers and-"

"Hold up Hold up! You bought _Flowers_? I didn't know you were so romantic~" " _Ugh!_ Anyway, I had everything ready to ask her out in the mall near that huge Christmas tree and such, but...she hadn't shown up. Like, she would always show up near there since its so close to Barnes & Nobles, but..." "Have you tried calling her?" Jamie stopped talking and glanced away, walking around in circles in the hallway. 

"...Uh" "Jamie...Did you even _get_ her phone number?" "Uh..." He heard a sigh from the other side of his phone. "Jamie Jamie Jamie, What will you do without me?" "What do you mean?" Said man raised his eyebrow as he stopping walking. "i mean: be your best friend, be your support, be your wingman and such. So you didn't ask for your number huh"

"Look I...I'm not good with romance as you are Caleb, I've been focusing on work and studying and reading being consumed by magical creatures and lore and such" 

"You have two college classes, 4 days a week shift at B&N and you spend your free time reading on the web about frost giants that you have _no time_ to ask a girl who is _just like_ _you_ out on one _simple_ date?" Jamie winced at each word Caleb emphasized in embarrassment. True he had time, plenty of time actually to ask his crush out on a date, but you know crushes. It's hard, _extremely_ hard to just ask the girl you like and expect to be broken into pieces by rejection. Plus he had been isolating himself in a heap of new knowledge and books, building new little designs for his major in engineering or something like that. He hasn't gotten out to socialize that much since...well since _that_ accident occurred. An accident he didn't really want to talk about, that made him completely switch gears from child-minded to growing up. Yet he had still been caught with his mythical fairy-tale obsessions. Jamie had become quieter, like the rest of his friends from childhood had...separated themselves from the group. He hadn't heard from anyone since high school. So he hasn't really talked to anyone besides his sister, mother and grandma. College gave him a different experience, he made college friends, they were okay, they were different and yet they were in the same clueless state as everyone else fresh out of high school. Jamie had made due from working in the huge mall. He had seen and met other people, that was another change from his sudden shy self to more open and polite. Yet sometimes he had been caught reading in the fantasy and children's section of his work. It was a miracle that he had met his childhood friend working at the same place he was for a little longer than him. 

Now his friend was trying to set him up with a girl who had transferred from Europe...and had probably stopped talking to him. 

"...Yeah?" Another sigh "Why didn't you ask her out before?"

"She...she was reading to me a tale from her book...and it took the whole night"

"Why didn't you ask her then?"

"I...she seemed so into it and I didn't want to interrupt her and then we arrived at my door and I thought it was too early and-" Jamie kept rubbing the back of his neck as he talked out the event. He could tell that Caleb wasn't really impressed by his tone of voice. Caleb had known Jamie, he had known how this man loved his storybooks and his socializing about them, and that he hadn't really bought up anything romantic related at work. The man was the complete opposite of Caleb, Caleb knew how to flirt, he knew what to say. He didn't hesitate about going for the opportunity. Jamie had been burrowed in books and articles all his years after high school that he forgot he was in reality. Yet he still didn't understand what romance was about. 

Jamie's ramble had been interrupted by his mother walking up the stairs, seeing him still on his phone. She held two cups of hot chocolate in her hand, still hot and steaming in the slightly cold hallway. "Jamie? Come down and open your presents, we're still waiting for you to-you're talking to a friend?" "Uh... yeah. Got to go Caleb, opening presents. Bye" With that Jamie hung up the phone and placed it away in his pajama pockets. He took the mug of hot coco and walked down the stairs with his mother holding the railing. 

"So how's your studying going? You have that History thing right?" She asked, drinking the hot chocolate as she walked down the stairs. "I'm..doing fine with it...it's just I've been trying to list some pilgrims and such...*sigh*" As they reached down the steps, His mom looked back up to him in question. "Are you alright?" 

"He's just sad his girlfriend didn't show up or call him" They saw Sophie eating a decorated cookie from the coffee table in the living room, she was sitting on the floor with a present on her lap and their grandmother was rocking on the chair by the fire. "Shut up Sophie! She's not my girl-" "Lalala, not listening! Opening presents!" She said as she started to unwrap her gift. "Why don't you join and open yours while I get some more cookies?" His mom stepped down and walked towards the kitchen, still drinking her mug of hot cocoa. Jami sighed and went to the living room, placing his own mug on the coffee table and sitting on the carpet close to little fire. Jamie eyes the 4 presents under the Christmas tree, seeing the labels of his name written on the wrapping paper. He had thought that he knew what were wrapped inside. His mother had asked him about what he wanted, spoiling the surprise like always, and he gave her a list of things he desired. He has never seen his mother in the mall, so she would get presents from somewhere else. 

Jamie took the closest one next to the carpet: Blue with white ribbons and decorated with diamond shaped snowflakes, not like the ones in CVS or Target with those golden designs, this wrapping paper held a sparkle that resembled the snow glistening outside at night. Jamie saw the bow decorated at the top, also in a pattern that was stuck to the paper: a snowball of some sort, which was odd. 

He saw his name fancied on the white clear strips of the box: Jamie Bennett 

"Hmm...fancy. Where did you get this wrapping paper?" He looked up from his present to his mother, who had came back to carrying a tray of warm cookies, settling them down on what space the coffee table had left. "What?" She glanced over to see the blue and white snow-decorated paper. "Wow, that's really pretty paper, better keep it for next winter" She then left the living room to go back to the kitchen. "Wait...you _didn't_ get this?" Jamie blinked, confused and brought the box back to him to inspect. Then he handed it towards Sophie, who was currently busy playing with her new Rubix cube. "Sophie? Did you get this?" She looked over at her brother and shook her head. I wouldn't get something so pretty like that for you, maybe it was your girlfriend or something" She chuckled as her focus was transfixed on messing and matching the different colors together. Jamie then shifted and pointed the box to his grandma, who tilted her head. "Do you want me to open it?" She asked, a little clueless at his gesture. Jamie shook his head. "No no grandma, I wanted to know if you got me this gift" For a moment, old brown eyes glanced up in thought, then she shook her own head. 

"Nope! Never something so blue as that! Maybe it was Santa Clause! Hah hah!" His grandma laughed, showing some old teeth still intact, yet she rocked back in her chair with a sense of joy. "But I did give you a movie, I don't have any wrapping paper though!" "What movie?" Sophie asked this time, half a cookie in her mouth as she opened another present. 

"Polar Express!" "Grandma, I've seen that movie a bunch of times already! Don't you have something else to watch?" Sophie asked. 

As the two were still bantering and talking, Jamie had been focusing his time on the detailed colored box. He scanned the box through and through. It felt heavy, rigged on one side and smooth on the other. He shook it and there was no sound. He let his finger smooth the paper of diamond snowflakes and sparkles, not feeling the sparkles but feeling the tiny bumps. Tiny bumps of what could be a book. Who would have given him a present wrapped in such a pretty blue paper and revealed that it was book? Well of course he had presents that were from school friends and his own birthday had some similar book presents, but in all of his Christmas years, he has never seen paper like this. Let alone in stores, on racks or anywhere but here and now. 

Jamie then saw how perfectly folded it was on the edges, that each edge had its own icy design. That each edge of this paper was made for this present alone and nothing else. Not like birthday presents, or other insanely neat Christmas wrapping. This was made for this book, by someone who knew it was for him alone. 

Jamie looked back to his other 3 presents under the Christmas tree, they all were in different colors, yet wrapped like any other present he has seen. Labeled in a handwriting he knew would be his mother and sister. Yet he didn't focus on those presents, he was interested in this one before him in his hand. He stared at his name printed on the paper, fancy yet readable. He didn't want to open it, it looked to nice, too valuable, too perfect with its ferny edges on every side of the paper the book showed. 

Suddenly, his hands were freezing cold.

With quick reflexes, Jamie dropped the wrapped book on his lap, feeling the sudden chill on his calves, he quickly stood up, moved closer to the fire to feel the heat, hoping the freezing cold would go away. The sudden big thunk of the book took the other three's attention. His mother was already sitting on the other side, grabbing cookies as she had read an article about the Sahara Desert snowing. She, along with Sophie and her elderly mother, stared at Jamie in question and were also surprised by the how loud the book fell to the floor. 

"What happened?" His grandma asked. "I...don't know..." Jamie didn't take his eyes off of the wrapped book. "I-it...its cold" "What? The present?" Sophie asked. "Yes! For a minute it was fine and then...my hands were freezing!" "Well you didn't wear any gloves, plus your room was pretty cold when I checked" His mother stated, eating a cookie. "Th-that's not what I meant. The book itself was freezing cold. It landed on my legs and I felt it" 

"Well it was on the cold floor for probably a day or two. Never touched, or it was outside for a night" His mother continued to find logical reasons of why the present was cold. Jamie hesitantly looked back at his other three presents and went over to them. He picked them up, one by one and placed them next to the warm lit fireplace. He picked the smallest one- an overused golden snowflake pattern- and held it firmly in his hands. The present was warm in his palms and near the fire. It was fine. He took the next present- a bigger green and white dotted pattern- and held it in his hands awkwardly. It was fine, wasn't cold from last night. He set that aside and took in the last present in his hands- a reindeer pattern with bells- and firmly shook it and placed it by the fire. It was warm, nothing cold about them. 

Then Jamie quickly picked up the diamond patterned book and felt the sharp pain of cold course through his finger tips. Dropped it really close to the fire in a flash. "Yup that freezing cold! Oh so very cold!" "Really?" Sophie asked, scooting around the coffee table and inspecting the pretty wrapped present. She squinted her eyes at the book. She then took the book into her own hands...and it felt warm. It felt fine, like any old present.

"What are you talking about? It's fine to me. If you can't open it, I will"

"Uh..sure go ahead" Jamie offered, not wanting to touch the book again. 

Sophie, then noticing the creases of the wrapping paper, slowly uncovered it. It wasn't taped or anything, but what had caught her off guard was that there was a name crossed out underneath the darker blue shoulder flap: 

~~Elizabeth Øverland~~

"Elizabeth...Øverland? Who's that?" Sophie asked, eyeing the crossed out name. 

Jamie was so close to grab the book out of his sister's hands, yet he stopped when he felt the sharp pain of ice on his fingertips again. He let the edge of the book go. "Its...*sigh* its my girlfriend Sophie" he mumbled, crossing his arms, tucking his cold fingers under his arms which didn't seem to help much. 

He took his mug of hot chocolate and warmed his hands. 

"*gasp* ooo~ she got you a present? How romantic~" she giggled. "Stop it, i don't think she gave me it. I haven't had any contact with her in 3 days" "so you guys broke up?" 

"Wah-we we didn't, i mean i haven't even-" 

"Chill out bro, i was joking. Hmm I'm curious what she got you" Sophie continued to open the wrapping paper by folds. Not wanting to destroy the good looking paper. 

When she finally unveiled the gift, she saw that it was a blank book, a hardcover, colored in another deep blue that seemed old. The words stitched to the front of the book read: 

Secrets of the Magic Makers

* * *

The wind whistled through pale ears as Jack flew towards the North pole, not exactly going straight to the direction, but gliding in some places and couldn't really see under him because of the clouds. Yet he did see the bright and big yellow -now a blinding white- celestial sun poke it's round head above the clouds, creating a sense of a lighter sky blue with a mixture of yellow. He watched as he flew, seeing the sun rise up again for the times he has lived- or relived- and never felt the exhaustion of human sleep. He had stopped in midair, his cape hood over his head as he stared at the sun shining bright. The sun's bright light didn't bother him too much, not like Mani's bright light which held a more calming feeling. Though seeing the sun's color change from that early morning light yellow to a white lamp light had hurt more than his eyes. Like the sun had changed with the times and the moon hasn't at all. Though there were festivals and saying of a 'blue moon' and a 'yellow moon', the celestial light he knew so much never changed. 

Maybe that's why he loved the moon more than the sun, yet the sun was a signal of a new day, a new month and a new century. That the colors of the sun setting and rising were the best shows he has seen while flying over the layer of clouds. That blue and yellow had clashed in a complementary with dashes of pink in the clouds. That there was a rainbow on every side of the sky as it set. He heard in Africa, the sunsets were the most beautiful. 

Jack huffed, holding his staff in one hand and the red bag in the other, two or three items somewhere in his pockets. He then saw the moon behind him, transparent yet still there on the opposite side of the world. He heard stories, so many stories about the two lights in the sky that he didn't know which to believe. So he called the spirit of the moon Mani. At least the object would agree, it sounded fitting to him. The spirit of winter continued flying back to North's workshop. 

* * *

[North Pole]

[6 hours earlier]

North had been busy, he had been walking around, chiseling ice for new toys, reading so many letters and pacing around the floor in a slight worry. He shouldn't be worrying, Everything had been checked, even double-checked to make sure, that all the toys and presents were sent. Though he had no clue, no idea how he had...lost all of those snow globes. Those globes were a sense of travel, a key to go to so many places at once! Yet his sleigh and his own reindeer were fine when he landed on the streets of Moscow. Not to mention accidentally running over an elderly women since it snowed so heavy he couldn't really see! He had wondered why there was an old women walking out in the middle of a snowstorm, but turns out she was alright. She was fine and went back to her house. 

Now after coming back with a sack of nothing but air, letting the elves and yetis check on the reindeer and ordering them to make more snow globes, he had seen Bunnymund hop out of nowhere, startled him from walking around in circles. Bunnymund threw the bag on a soft chair before he went to North, a look of concern but also equally confused. "North! I need to talk to you" "What is it friend? Why the confused gesture?" "...do you...do you hear that?" North glanced around his shop, then back at Bunnymund, who had been pacing around in the same manner North had. "No, What got you so hoppy today? Did Jack cause another winter outbreak?"

"No, no. It's not him...It's just...a noise. Like a beating noise, a drumming noise. Like-like those viking drums! Yeah! Those drums...that...that won't stop playing" "Bunny..." North watched said creature kept rambling to himself, looking every which way for the source of the noise. "What are you talking about? I don't hear anything! You must be eating too much, or so worked up about your eggs. Could be either or" Bunnymund stopped to glance back at the big guy, then went to him. "You mean...you don't hear that...that drumming?" North shook his head, his blue eyes wide in wonder and question for his friend. 

He sighed "A-anyway, there's this thing. after gettin' all the presents down, I saw a snowflake pattern, not any old pattern, but a...a Compass pattern. With runes and such, it was glowing too and I heard a voice" 

"Hmm...A snowflake pattern? Was it glowing and in the water?" North rubbed his beard, thinking if he had recalled seeing them before. "Yes! That's the one!" 

There was a sudden humming noise that both knew it was Toothiana, who had flown from the sky and down to the group with a grin and plenty of empty sacks. "I got them all done!- What's going on?" The fairy lowered her empty sacks to see Bunnymund's worried face and North thinking. "So you seen all them?" "Yes...I think I have, when I traveled around I saw a few, maybe more in Russia. It was snowing way too much to see them clearly, but I saw!" "What are you talking about? Are we talking about ice patterns?" Bunny turned to her "How do you know?!" "Well, I've seen some in rivers and ponds, though...the air was...not pleasant. You mean those snowflake compass shaped symbols?" 

"Yes! That's the one! You mean you guys saw them too?" "There were a lot of them in northern Japan, and Vietnam...I think" Tooth glanced away in though, counting her fingers she dropped her sacks somewhere on the floor. "Tooth, do you hear...well anything? Like, drumming or something?" The fairy shook her head quickly. "Nope! But I did hear voices...kind of like chanting when I flew close to them. Though no, not now" 

"Why is everyone around me hearing such things?!" North placed his hands in the air in exaggeration. "I don't hear anything!" "Well, maybe you weren't close enough, like how Tooth and I was" Bunnymund gestured to him and Tooth. 

That was when Sandman had appeared to see the three bantering about, waiting and then seen the younger winter guardian climb in through the window. 

* * *

Jack had made it into North's workshop, either climbing through the same window or approaching from above. He landed on the carpet and the meeting area to see no one was there, then he went to North's study area and opened the door to find North being busy tinkering some new toys and a stacks of piled letters on his desk. "Who's there?" North asked, seeing the stack of letters and old worn books in front of him. "It's me North" Jack shifted the piled letters and books to the side of his desk to see the man using a screwdriver on a robotic toy. Blue eyes went from the robotic toy to the winter spirit holding the red bag in his hand. "Got all the presents finally, so here's th-WHAT THE" Jack did a double take as he saw the empty bag suddenly move around, seeing bulges show themselves as the bag continued to move on it's own in Jack's hand. 

His had released the red bag and it fell to the ground, reveal squeaking tiny white armless snowmen running out of the bag and around the shop. Jumping and tumbling over the toys that had been placed around the room. "Ivan the Great! What is this?! What are these adorable creatures?!" North widened his eyes as he saw 4-no 10- of this tiny snowmen running, squeaking and jumping around and onto his desk and pile of papers. "No no no! Don't touch those! Jack what is this?!" North gasped, quickly hugging the piles of unread letters towards his body as dark coal eyes looked up to the legend. 

"I...I didn't- how in- when did you things get-" Jack panicked as he followed the 10 snowminis as he liked to call them, around the study. Trying to catch the hyperactive snowchildren around the place. They had jumped around, causing a mess and knocking over precious items. Jack felt two or three bump into him and onto his snow white hair before going back down somewhere. North had been watching the magical snowmen run with smiles on their faces, not sure if he should grab them. They were so adorable. "Ah! Hey stop- Not there! Bad snowmini! Down from there- hey!" Jack demanded as one had slipped out of his grasp as he told others to get down from the shelves. 

North stood up in a panic of his own, Jack was busy trying to take control of the situations by grasping the snowminis and falling toys. North had tried to trap the other 5 snowmen in bottles or anything of the sort, hoping to not let these troublesome creatures break things any further. North had stopped one snowmen from pushing his Russian dolls to the ground. Yet he heard his own papers had been flying in the room and toys had been either activated or stopped in motion. His own maps and miniature globes had been slightly ruined by the mini snowmen. 

It had taken a few attempts of calming the young snowmen down in his office, but the door had been opened by Phill, who was going to say that he finished repairing some globes. Phil hadn't expect to see the chaos had unfolded in North's shop. Two myths had been caught grasping mini snowmen or objects in hand, their eyes widen in horror at the sight of Phil. "its...It's not what it looks like!" North proclaimed. "Uh...Yada?" Yeti eyes scanned the two characters in confusion, then seeing the remaining free snowmen jumping in excitement. 

Suddenly Phil saw the mini snowmen jump and bounce to him, all he saw was a pile of white before falling backwards onto the carpet. 

A couple of hours later, North was leaning against his window, his arms crossed as Jack was balancing himself on his staff, his decorated cape almost touching the ground. They were both seeing 5 snowmini's chasing two elves around the room as the two of them were running for their lives. They saw another 4 had clung themselves to Phil's hair as he screamed in horror, his sight failing him from seeing some objects on the ground and tripped. The 4 of those snowminis squealed in delight as Phil fell. 

North breathed in slowly, his curiosity and fascination with the little snowmen still in his mind. "Jack" Said younger guardian shifted on his staff, nervousness crept up, thinking he was in serious trouble. Yet it wasn't his fault, they snuck in his bag when he wasn't looking! "Y-yes?" Darker blue eyes glanced over to sky blue. "Did you do this?" 

"Did what?" 

"Make the little snowmen? I have to say I am impressed with your magic skills!" North beamed with a smile as he watched the tiny troublemakers get at it with the elves. Jack rubbed the back of his neck. "You see- Wait you are?" Jack stopped rubbing his neck and blinked at North in surprise, not really expecting that response. Jack had thought North was mad about letting these little things destroy his study. "Well of course I am! For years there was this feeling that you're magic is growing with age. You're still a young lad and yet your power has grown to massive heights!" "Oh...you really think so?" "Of course! After being a guardian, I saw that glint of power in your eyes, that glint of a man who knows about magic. Well of course Sandy is magic himself, Cupid as well, but they are different from you" "How are they different from me?" Jack asked, shifting his eyes to the one snowman who was running around his staff. 

He felt North's big hand pat his shoulder. "Well you are Jack Frost! The Spirit of Winter itself! Of course snowstorms happened before the 1600s but- there is this raw power within you" North then placed his index finger onto Jack's chest. "I've seen you with my own eyes Jack, Sandy has seen you with his own. He tells me you are getting stronger everyday" North then picked up the little snowman in his hands, who had been hyperactive before is now calm in his giant hands. Jack stared at the little snowmini, a smile on his face as the magical creature smiled dumbfoundly back at him, blinking its coal eyes. This creature was nothing like his own snowmen, yet he liked how..alive it was. 

Jack swirled his fingers around to created a light flurry of snowflakes on top of it's head. The little snowmini watched curiously as the snow fell onto North's hand, who chuckled at the sight. "I have a question for you Jack" "Go ahead" "Do you still miss being human?" 

The winter spirit then turned away from North and the snowmini, staring at the action and hilarious chaos before him. Did he? Well he never really knew anymore of his past life, and he was certain about who he is now. Of course 2 centuries ago he had questioned in the back of his head why he was drawn there and why did it still matter to him. He did ask Mani for an answer, yet that box was his only reply. Jack sighed, lowering his head and taking out the ice statue of his little sister. He still didn't know her name, yet there was an empty space in his heart of not knowing her name. He shouldn't have cared now. Like Tooth had said, They were all someone before...yet they never talked about it. Or he never asked about it with anyone. 

Jack glanced back to North, then at the snowmini. He took out the gold memory box of his old life and handed it to North. "You're memory box?" North inspected the box in question, the little creature also curious of the shiny object. "Yeah...Can you give it back to Tooth or something? I don't need it anymore" "Of course! Where are you going?" North saw Jack stand upright on the floor and towards the window. "Going home" "But what about the little snowmen? I can't keep them here!" He gestured to the little creature in his palm. "Then fine them a home" "But aren't they your creations?" Jack stopped, holding onto the open window pane. "Well..." Jack didn't want North to think those things weren't made by him, not after hearing North say he was impressed. He never really heard North say anything about his winter magic before. Jack sighed. "Yeah...but they-" A heard sudden squeaks behind him from below. Jack turned around to see the 10 snowminis follow him, looking up at him with their black coal eyes waiting. They weren't smiling, but they had stopped at the window sill where Jack was about to leave them in the shop. 

Why weren't they smiling? 

Jack blinked to the little snowmen, whom blinked back at him. "What are they doing?" Jack pointed to the little snowminis as he looked at North, who smiled warmly at the scene. "Well to me it looks like they don't want you to leave Jack" "But I...I have to go" At this, he saw the little snowminis make the most saddened emotion that made him feel very guilty. He didn't want to see that, ever in the world to see such an expression. "No...don't look at me like that...please don't" His voice had turned into a whisper, he slowly walked back down to the floor, eyeing the sad snowmen. The snowmen had followed his movements stepping down from the window sill. 

"I'm just leaving to go home, and I don't want to bring you with me because-" He choked, staring at their expressions, their heads lowered to the ground, the one with the flurry over his head was in front of him who held the most pleading. Why oh why was it this hard to just leave them here? It's not like they think he was leaving for good, which he knew he wasn't. Jack then looked back at North with a worried expression. "North why don't they want me to leave?" North shrugged "I don't know Jack, maybe they imprinted on you. Like a mother goose" "A..." Jack turned back around to see the snowminis still having that expression on their faces. "I...oh my word" Jack stood up, kneading his eyebrows. 

They think he's their dad. 

_That's_ why they don't want him to leave. _That's_ why they followed him all the way here. _That's_ why they had surrounded him and never left his side. _That's_ why the first thing they did was go _right for him_ in the castle. Yet he had no idea what these snowmen had thought when they first saw him. He had guessed that he was another aura of spiritual magic... _ice_ magic, snow magic, winter magic. The same type of magic that- 

Jack covered his face, squatting down to the mini's level. The snowmen had then started being happy again, going towards him and jumping around him. One or two had jumped on his head and shoulder, squealing with delight at his cool and pine scented aura. He exhaled loudly through his nose. "I'm fine..." 

"Jack? What is it?" North asked, walking towards the kneeling guardian. "Ahhh..." He huffed out in muffles under his cold hands. "Jack?" Yet he continued. "Ahh..." North stood quiet, watching him as Phil had joined North and the elves in watching this display.

"I-I can't- I can't be their-"

"Jack?"

"-I mean I know I'm great with kids and all but-"

"Jack"

"I mean I'm their guardian and all but I DON'T-"

"Jack..."

"-I don't want them as-"

"JACK"

"-I'M NOT READY FOR KIDS OKAY?" Jack uncovered his face to reveal a mess of a purplish hue to North. 

North sighed, shaking his head as he saw the dramatic young man fall to the ground, his arms out stretched on the carpeted floor. The 10 snowminis had their chance as they climbed onto the guardian and jumped all over him, squealing in happiness and running around him. " _Ugh_ " "Jack...they are _snowmen_. Not actual children. We've seen children before, they may act like troublesome children but they're snowmen" Yet Jack kept wailing dramatically as the snowminis continued to play with him. Some of them had stared at him with curiousness at his act. 

North shook his head and left him in his act, Phil shrugged and left with North, rubbing his wet fur as the elves had left him there on the ground as well. 

Jack had been laying there on the carpet for the last 20 minutes, feeling the snowminis jumping around him and some had stopped to lay next to his body. One had used his cape as a blanket and one had crawled under his cape to sleep in his pocket. Jack groaned, eyeing the back of one snowmini using his cape as a blanket. Maybe he was thinking too much? Going into conclusions way to fast? Maybe they didn't see him as a father, they could have seen him as an equal version of their creator, or mistaking him for Elsa like Marshmallow had. Well these things were made out of magic, specifically ice magic. There were plenty of magic users or beasts out there that didn't _have_ to conclude her as their creator or him as a potential equal. These things could have swarmed to any other magic user and imprinted on them. Yet as Olaf had said, no one had ever visited that ice castle in years, maybe let alone centuries. Only human guests had visited it and ran away from them. Jack so happened to see the place and was immediately brought in and accepted by those lonely magical snowmen. 

They had accepted him as one of their own. Lonely, isolated in a snow-capped mountain, magical and... _alive_. 

He then questioned why...why would she just, _leave_ them there to be alone for so long? What was that castle's purpose anyway? And if...oh and he meant _if_ she was still alive today, he would find her. He would go right up to his magical girl and say: Why did you leave them there for so long? You didn't need to. Olaf had no other family besides you, he had no-one but the other snowmen. Don't leave them alone like he had centuries ago. 

Though...maybe those guys were fine, magical creatures were fine being alone and independent. Like himself. Like the other guardians, maybe like other mystical beasts around the world. He had been alone for 327 years, yet he made contact with children and adults in between even if they didn't see him clearly. Jack sighed and blew chilling wind to the back of the snowmini. The snowmini then tumbled out of the cape and unto the floor, seeing another figure before him with a red bag in his hand. 

"Get up Jack, you've been laying here for 20 minutes" he heard North's Russian accent close to his figure. Jack lifted his head up, covered by his hood, and saw a dangling red sack. "If you're going to go home, then at least bring them with you in here. They're already trouble enough as it is" Jack got up from the floor, the snowminis getting off of him and waiting around, some jumping as they saw the sack. 

"You...want me bring them with me in there?" "Well that's the only option I have, they came with you in here, they're leaving with you in here" North handed the sack to the winter spirit, who opened the sack side and placed it close to the ground. "Get in the bag. All of you" He saw the creatures glance at each other, then they smiled and happily obligated, jumping one by one into the sack and he closed it tightly. He heard the muffled high squeaking noises and huffed. He took the sack over his shoulder, hearing them squeak louder. 

"Is that really how you treat your children Jack?" 

"Hey. If I _did_ have kids, that's the first thing I'd do" Jack saluted to North has he turned around to the opened window. 

"Carry them in sacks and sling them like a bag over your shoulder?" 

"YEET THEM INTO THE SNOW, THEY LOVE THAT" Jack yelled as he flew out of the window with a bag of squealing tiny snowmen. 

* * *

[Burgess, Pennsylvania]

"At least the book isn't cold, it was just the paper" Jamie held the dark blue book into his hands, he was in his bedroom. His heater was turned on and the room felt a lot more warmer than this morning. He had left to his room after seeing the book's title and the strange runes that were written in...well he had no idea really. He had opened his other presents and they were to be as expected: A New Tablet, an E Book some air pods. Though this present wasn't from his family, but it had Elizebeth's name crossed out inside the paper. Maybe it was for her and not for him? Or the paper was from her and someone gave it to him. But Who? Who gave this book to him? 

What does this language even say? 

Jamie placed the book down onto his desk of computer and other fantasy novels with research he had checked before. He sat in his chair and opened this strange blue book. The book's cover held a design of magic, of detail that it was old and belonged to another person. Maybe a mage of some sort? Jamie shook his head. No, it wasn't a mage. Why would a mage give him a book like this? He scoffed at the idea and opened the book. 

Words and words of language and runes he had no idea had existed in this book. He kept flipping the pages. Pictures of creatures, beasts that shouldn't possibly exist. Myths that he had heard before in other media or stories in other countries. There was something in his mind that...they _were_ real. They had _been_ real and were in hiding, gone or dead from human eyes. He continued to see the pages of this book. They were like Elizabeth's index of legends and lore, except this was ancient, ripped in some pages, and stained in others. Three or four pages had stuck out to him in this foreign writing: 

One page held drawings of a man screaming in agony, a shadowed wolf with the same colored eyes was on the second page. 

One page held green looking fairies, long pointed ears and eyes black as night. below it held a drawing of pointed elf like creatures that changes skin and a tail. 

One page held a man laying on table, a king, with what looked like a troll raising its arms as an Aurora Borealis upon them, the lights were heading towards the king's heart. 

And one page held a white glowing spirit, wearing all white and black long hair reaching the ground. She was holding a drum with symbols and in the back was the same northern lights. 

Two of the four pages were translated in a Norwegian writing:

Nattmara and Noaidi 


	7. Blame the Wind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After taking the snowgies back to the ice castle, the castle doesn't want him to leave

Jack flew, he flew back the country of Norway, back to the castle of ice. Back to the castle of creative loneliness he had been just 5 hours ago. Feeling the kicking and the lumps behind his back, Jack sighed as he heard the squeals of the mini snowmen behind him, making a ruckus and annoying him in a way that made him think of actually throwing them off his shoulder and into the ice castle. Leaving them as quick as he came. Though to him, he didn't want to be quick, he wanted to be slow just because he wanted to. There was no rush, he just go home after spending more time with the snowmen in the castle. Or to Germany and spend time with kids, well anywhere actually to spend time with humans and have fun on his own. 

Still, he didn't really see himself as a father figure of any sort, that was some hasty thought after putting two and two together. That maybe this Elsa had snow and ice magic and he had the same thing as her...well not _exactly_ the same type as hers, but at least it was alike to confuse the snowmen that he was Elsa. Maybe the snowminis did imprint on him enough to follow him and just chill on him somewhere. They were like mini babies to him, just babies that need a parent to take care of them, though they were rascals in their own right. Jack did wonder how this girl ever made...well 100s of them in such a time. Maybe she made them for kids? Toddlers or something? Jack shook his head. There was no way she would create an army of such things for children. He was still curious why these things exist anyway, why Olaf exists and why Marshmallow exists...wait why is he called Marshmallow? 

The spirit had kept his thoughts occupied as he flew, not knowing that a snowy companion had been shuffling around in his jacket pocket. A squeak was heard from his jacket and the spirit blinked, halted to a stop in the air, and saw his jacket pocket ruffling about. Oh no, one had made home in his pocket and he had no idea about it until now. He had to think of something. Maybe quickly switch hands from sack to staff, or give the sack to Baby Tooth. But the sack was too big for her to hold and she might fall from...well 500 feet? Estimated guess. He could never give the staff to Baby Tooth either without falling into an ocean. And he _really_ didn't want to fall into an ocean. Well, there was quicker thing of resting his staff tightly against his arm and quickly grabbing the little critter into the sack. 

Well he did just that, placed his hand into his pocket and tightly grabbed the tiny snowman into his hand. Now he just had to open the sack aaaand it jumped.

It _jumped_. Jumped down to its potential death with a smile on its face. Jack groaned to the still expanding blue sky. Why oh why is it always him?!

He sighed, using the wind to boost him downwards towards the ever falling snowmini in a rapid wind howl. He did had a thought if he was close enough to the little critter, there was a perfect shot of him catching it in the red sack and not taking any damage at all. Though reality threw his epic idea out of the window. 

He still couldn't open the sack, it was tied in a golden rope, and if he actually untied it with both hands, he would sacrifice his flight for this little chance of saving a baby's stupid life. Then he heard Baby Tooth come out somewhere, squeaking to him about something, but he couldn't hear. The wind in his ears were loud, howling like a ghost and he needed some kind of miracle to catch this baby in mid air. He had this idea of not using his magic to catch the baby. It didn't sound so cool as his first idea. For a second, Jack tossed the Staff to Baby Tooth, who had been shocked and confused at what Jack was doing. She kept yelling towards him as he fell faster and faster to the earth. 

She took his Staff in her small hands, watching the guardian fall. Jack took the chance to finally open the sack in his hands and open it gently, he saw the other snowminis had settled into the bag, looking down at him. "Whatever you do, don't get out. Listen to me got it?" The snowminis nodded their head as Jack focused onto the little creature still falling. Jack breathed, twirled himself around as quick as possible and kept the sack opened upright, a little wider for one last snowmini to drop in. 

Finally, he had caught the snowmini in the sack and closed it up in time to see the snowy white mountain tops of Norway. He fell fast. Faster then he had flown, he felt something tug him down to the mountain top and it wasn't the snowminis. Jack screamed, hoping that Baby Tooth was close behind him with his Staff. Yet he didn't see Baby Tooth at all, the clouds of the winter were now above him. The snowstorm had made it blind to see anything and Jack closed his eyes shut, waiting for some type of impact.

There was nothing. 

No feeling of impact, no cold snow hitting his face, no rocks scraping his already dead skin. No bruises and no staff in hand. 

But there was a voice. A light that was swirling around him, the feeling of an icy wind he knew before. The sounds of the ghostly howling of the winter winds had shifted into a more...friendly wind noise. That this particular wind was...different, and alike with the wind he had controlled before. Yet he wasn't controlling the wind like he would do, he had no Staff, no conduct. Was he doing this on his own? Was he actually flying without it? 

Jack opened his eyes slowly, seeing himself floating under the Christmas snow storm, he couldn't see Baby Tooth, but he had the bag in his hand, still closed and still carrying those troublesome snowminis. The winter guardian moved his head around, he was still laying in the air, but this wind, this particular wind had...saved him. Saved him from what could be a death trap of mountains below. He still heard that voice. Not his sister's voice, but a voice of playful comfort coming from the wind. 

The weirdest thing of all was that he...understood what it was saying to him. The wind was speaking to him, but in some form of speech he didn't know. But he knew the wind, he had been friends with the wind for years and years. He was a part of the wind and the wind was apart of him. And after all these years he finally knew that this wind spirit could talk. It was a beautiful sound, unlike the sounds of a ghost flying away into a never ending existence. Maybe this was the same wind spirit he had tagged along with and it changed to be more...happier. 

He sighed, hearing the words of the wind in his ears that he thought he would never hear:

_Jack,_

_I am the North Wind_

_I come to help you_

* * *

[North Mountain]

Olaf had finished counting the snowgies that were in groups of 50 in throne room. He had to make sure and double check that these trouble makers didn't escape his watch. He knew that these little men weren't as well...smarter than he was, but he had to keep watch on all of them. Even if it was Elsa's last wish to them before she decided to not come back because of her spiritual duties. 

"285, 286, 287, 288, 289, 29- *gasp* only 290! Only 290! Where...We're missing 10 more! When did we miss 10? Where did they go?! Ooh no, this is bad. They must be hiding in the furniture! Or went outside towards the towns!" Olaf paced around 2 groups of snowgies, then he started to look into other furniture or items that Jack had created for them to comfort. Honestly it was _so_ nice of him to make such a lonely place more comfortable, even if there was only a fake fireplace and not a real one.

Though he had wondered why that man created such a cozy atmosphere for snowmen like them. The castle had been abandoned for 200 years, most humans were curious about this ice palace yet they actually insisted on visiting. The stairs had been fixed, and thanks to Jack, everything had been fixed. Yet Olaf, the oldest and the most wisest of his snow family, knew that this castle didn't need to stand any longer. Elsa had left the city, she was gone and he didn't know what to do now. He had been kept alive by the two sister's love for each other for years. He had been kept alive to see Anna grow old and Elsa never aging. He'd been kept in the kingdom as he played with Anna's kids, watched them grow, saw her grandchildren. Watched them leave and set away to get married to other kingdoms. Watched Anna's great great grand-nephew become a king. So on and so on. 

Elsa had stayed the same.

Olaf had stayed the same. 

Marshmallow shrunk down in size, the snowgies didn't get any taller.... The ice castle had melted away after he'd been resurrected. Elsa had came by one last time to fix the stairs and the thawing parts of the ice palace. She never went upstairs. She said it was their home now, that they all can live here. She resurrected all of the 300 snowgies and made her guard smaller than he had been before. She said her goodbyes to them, she needed to leave to go back to the Enchanted Forest, but he was welcomed in the kingdom, welcomed to accompany her nieces and nephews and descendants. She said one day there would a descendant with magic to keep him company. It could have been Anna's descendants living in another country, yet Olaf had doubted that. He had wished and hoped that Elsa would come back and live with them here...or maybe he would loose his purpose of existence and flurry away again with all the other snowmen. 

He had lost hope every year, every sun and moon rise, he pictured that Elsa would appear one day or another. Olaf had watched the kingdom of Arendelle change. There was trade, contracts, upgrades, wars and now it turned into a city. There were cars and shining metal things and people with phones. He walked some ways into the city and flashes of light from those things hurt his eyes. The gas of the cars weren't healthy for his snow since his body had turn grayish a couple of times. In winter he had gone down to the city and looked around the place. Some people had screamed and others eyed him in wonder. There was a talking and walking snowman in the city. Olaf's childlike joy had been replaced by confusion and shock as the citizens of the city and also foreigners were scared by him. 

Like they had forgotten about magic. That they had thought he was myth, or a puppet or a hallucination. He seen toddlers his height went to him and shook his hand, the adults were...scared of him? Maybe...curious that there was a talking snowman in the city of Bergen. He heard stories about this legendary snowman walking around in the dead of winter nights. He lived up in the cold mountains with his snow family. Some had visited him, some had recorded the footage but the snowgies had broken the camera. Marshmallow had scared and threatened them away. As if Elsa didn't want any one to know that her creations still exist. She didn't want the citizens to panic, or the government to be swarming in and taking over at the ice castle. 

He had heard of a myth: a snow witch that lived far north in an ice palace. Anyone who dares to go after her, she will capture you and force you to stay with a numb heart. At least that was what the story came to be. 

So no-one visited the palace for years, it still kept standing. They still lived and have no meaning to why they still exist after all those years. He kept the spectacles, the old magic books from the castle and placed them on the ice shelf Jack created. He kept the papers Elsa drew. He kept the things the sisters did together. He kept some old statues of the spirits, he kept Iduna's scarf in the palace. The palace was full of old memories of the past he knew. This ice palace held memories that Olaf kept safe. Safe-keepings that shouldn't be here any longer but were. Olaf went up the decorated stairs and saw the frosted paintings of characters and landscapes. He saw the transparent colored blue frost fairies still decorating with hanging snowflakes. He scanned everywhere for a hint of tiny 4" snowgies yet they didn't appear. 

Olaf sighed and entered the second floor of the castle. The throne room had been decorated above with the hanging bolts of ice and a couple of fairies hanging up snowflakes.

The snowman had admired those fairies, flying about as glass of blue ice with wings flew about in the air. This castle had been empty before, nor it was full of life in some way. Was that what he wanted? He didn't know, but he was over joyed that a man in dark blue and white hair had arrived. That this man held ice magic. He didn't _resemble_ any of Anna or Iduna's descendants, but Olaf had felt it as soon as he opened the front door. 

He felt an aura of a long missed family member in that man.

Olaf had never felt so...so relieved? So happy? So fulfilled? So complete? He didn't know the feeling, but he knew that he was getting older himself. Olaf had been awed by Jack's own presence and the magic he held in his finger tips, that he figured out why the snowgies loved him so much, and Marshmallow reacting with kindness and no wrath. They had deemed him as part of the family. He was a lonely and isolated man with the same powers as Elsa. His personality was like Olaf's: childlike wonder and a sense of joy. So when Jack had left them there, he felt that magic on his nose and he instantly felt joyous. After Jack left, Olaf has seen Marshmallow watch the fairies around him on his throne. The two glowing symbols still attached to the icy throne and floor. Shining in their spiritual colors. 

"*sigh* I wonder where they went? Have you seen them anywhere?" Olaf asked the giant, who shrugged on his throne and held a frost fairy in his huge paws. The frost fairy held a necklace of jagged snowflakes and placed it around the giant's neck. Marshmellow giggled, Jack's ice crown slipping off his head and unto the 1" covered floor. The crown cracked, but it held in place. 

"Hmm...is that Jack's crown?" 

Olaf asked, walking towards to the crown with icicles spiraling out on the top. He grabbed the cracked object in his hands and inspected it towards the morning sunlight. Right through the transparent cracks, the balcony doors to the throne room opened and a tall blue figure entered inside, holding a bag full of squealing children. Olaf lowered the crown, squinting from the sunlight to see Jack's hair shine bright, wild and unkempt. He was breathing heavily, but he managed land in a graceful manner. 

"Jack?" 

Said man walked inside the castle, holding out a bag full of smowgies. "I *huff* I..got them..*huff* they're safe!" He dropped the bag onto the snow covered floor. Olaf ran for him and embraced his calves. "Jack! You're back already! I thought you were going for good!" Olaf nuzzled his head between Jack's knees. The cold, icy and familiar feeling of magic, with a scent of wintry pine. Jack blinked down to the snowman, who had kept moving his head, brushing against his pant legs. "Uh-ha...uh..it was just an hour Olaf, Did you really think I was..." Jack met those black pupils of his. Jack blinked twice. Was...was he crying? 

"*sigh* leaving you for good?" Olaf released his long legs and shuffled awkwardly, looking towards his cold and bare feet. "Sorry. I haven't had a warm hug in long time..ha-ha" 

"But I'm cold. I've _been_ freezing cold for my whole life Olaf" 

"I-I know. Did you know when you get used to the cold, it gets warmer around you? Like cold water" 

Jack glanced away in thought and nodded "Mmm...that's interesting. But anyway. I hadn't noticed before, but-I'm not saying that it means anything- well it could mean something- but again I guess it _does_ have to do with it-" Olaf blinked, waiting as the remaining snowgies had followed Olaf: blinking and watching the white haired man struggle. 

He sighed "The snowminis think I'm their dad" He massaged his face again. "Well, these 10 think so anyway" He pointed to the little snowmen. "Or that's what I concluded at the Workshop. I don't know _why_ I thought that. Maybe it was cause you guys looked like a family and...you were pretty lonely so- yeah! They followed me and I had to bring them back. Now I have to give this bag back to North" 

Jack picked up the empty bag from the floor and turned away from the snowmen towards the glass doors. The ice doors suddenly closed on him and Jack stopped in his tracks, shocked. He turned back to Olaf and the snowgies, thinking if they were the ones that made the doors close on him. "Olaf?" "hmm?" said snowman blinked, a smile on his clueless face. 

"Did...did you close the door?" Olaf shook his head side to side. "No, the castle is made out of magic, so it opens and closes on it's own" Jack turned back around to see the balcony doors before him. A snowflake design in the middle. 

Jack then turned around again and headed down the ice stairs, flying and seeing his frost fairies had stopped what they were doing to see him. The frost fairies haven't stopped decorating the castle, indoor and out, until they saw their creator had shown up. Those fairies were more or so clockwork then free flying ice, Jack had made them to create decorations and sculptures just enough to make this place a bit more lively. He stopped them from doing anymore work since they had no use to linger here any longer. The fairies, instead of becoming a flurry of snow, followed the spirit down the stairs and into the first floor of the palace. 

Jack saw the outside of the doors, flying ever so closely to them to only halt again in midair. The main doors had shut him inside. Jack turned around to see his frost fairies hovering around him, waiting and watching him. They looked like they were hoping for something, maybe freedom or another command from their creator. They didn't talk, but they had followed Jack in any way. Maybe they were waiting for him to flick his staff or his hand and let them all flurry away into snow. 

He just eyed them curiously, raising an eyebrow at of them. "Why are you following me? You don't need to follow me around...*sigh* alright. Guess I could just flurry you guys away then" Jack raised his fingers and made a signal, seeing the frost fairies made out of ice dissolve into falling snow. He flew back up to the second floor and landed on the snow covered room. He saw Olaf laying on a snow mound, staring up at the decorated chandelier and hanging snowflakes. He saw the white haired man look down upon him. 

"Olaf, why won't this castle let me leave? I tried budging the doors and knocking again but they won't open" "Olaf hummed "I don't know...maybe it wants you to stay here" "This...castle _wants_ me to stay here? Olaf, you and the other snowmen have resided here for _centuries_. You should know that castles don't just-" He stopped talking. 

_Jack....Jackson...._

He looked up to see across from him the closed balcony doors. Seeing the fancy snowflake pattern of the castle morph into the diamond one with runes. He stood up straight and breathed in slowly, closed his eyes and turned around. He was walking back down the stairs. 

_Just ignore it_

He told himself as he just stared at the ice steps, walking slowly down them. 

_Jack...Jackson..._

It was just a ringing in his ear. Nothing else. It would go away like it always would. He had tried to get away from it the second time he heard it. Tried to get away from that pattern, glowing in different colors. Shining in that dark watery blue of ice. Apparently every time he sees it, leaves it, the pattern stays in place. It was permanent. Depending on how fast he was flying around the world, there were probably 100s of them somewhere close in reflections of water. He had figured out that, after seeing so many in the Mediterranean sea, they don't leave the water. He made it snow in the Sahara as a result of getting out of control, hoping to cover them up under the ice. Only spirits could see them, no human could, no animal could either. 

So seeing more of them in this Ice Palace, this _magical_ Ice Palace that closed its doors on him for no reason, showing him those snowflakes he didn't know _what_ they meant, made him angry. Made him furious. Annoyed. Enough was enough. He needed answers and he needed to know _why_ he keeps hearing his long dead sister for the past 4-5 days. 

Jack clenched his teeth, his fists shaking, his Staff in his hand and he stopped in front of the huge doors. Marshmallow was there, watching him stand there. His staff firmly in hand, glowing a light blue magic next to him. The giant watched him lift up his Staff and hit the snow covered ground. A huge blast of icy cold wind was summoned, shaking the items and things around the room. The doors didn't open. He hit the ground again, harder this time. A colder wind blew around him, more powerful and towards the door. The doors still didn't open. Jack was getting impatient. He hit the ground again and again. The wind blowing harder, the air getting colder, the magic slipping out of his grasp and jolting. It was as if he was creating a storm inside the castle. 

The doors still didn't open. 

Jack then saw the doors form the same pattern, huge and gleaming before him. It just glowed silently, but at least he saw the runes more clearly on the huge door then in any river. He glared at the snowflake pattern. "Oh. Now you're _mocking_ me?! _Why_ won't you let me go?! I've seen you, I've heard you! I wished you just go away...I ignored you for so long...and yet..." 

Marshmallow, now accompanied by the snowgies, watched Jack stop the mini storm that raged in midair. Seeing him lower his head to the ground and sat down on the the cold floor, his glowing magical staff dimmed and placed on his lap. "You get louder every time I get close to you...you whisper in my ear like a close friend. A friend that I don't want to hurt. You sound like you need help...and I _do_! I _do_ want to help you! Just _tell_ me where you are sis. Show yourself to me. _Please_. I'm tired of you breaking my heart" 

Jack sighed, closing his eyes, his hood upon his head as everything went silent in the room. "...I've looked everywhere for you..."

He felt a pair of thin fingers lay on his padded shoulder. "Jack?" Olaf was next to him, worry in those black eyes. There was silence again for a few minutes before Jack heard a tin metal box next to him. He looked up to his right and saw Olaf carry a wooden box, decorated in another 1800's pattern. "What's that?" Jack's voice was raspy. He thought might as well be trapped in this Ice Palace with talking snowmen and haunting ice patterns for all his years. 

"An old memento of mine" He shook the box again, hearing the many things inside rattle and shake. Olaf sat himself down next to the man, a smile on his face as he stared at the box. "This thing is full of memories. After you made that book shelf earlier, I had items that needed to be kept. They were from the castle years ago and I couldn't just let any government take them away" "Weird, I didn't see any objects of yours earlier" "That's because I kept them hidden from people. There's this spot high up in the castle that noone-not even Elsa-goes to. True she made the castle, but I built that space for these things to keep!" The snowman smile widened in joy, eager to open his old tin box. 

At least this snowman's smile lifted something from the spirit's cold heart. 

Jack watched Olaf open the wooden box, revealing folded papers, drawings, an old string toy of Olaf himself, necklaces, beads, a burgundy colored scarf, family photos etc. Jack's eyes widened in curiosity, eyeing the little doll and black-white family photos. Olaf hummed, picking out a photo and a beige colored paper from the box. He set the box aside him on the snow and handed the photo over to Jack. Who was questioned on why Olaf wanted to show him is old stuff. 

"Olaf why are you showing me your-" Jack turned his head to the unfolded beige colored photo, this one wasn't black and white. Not like the other photos he glanced in the box. 

He caught his breathe. He exhaled slowly. 

On the picture was a women, in a royal dress that didn't seem to fit the time period. Blue icy eyes, Platinum blonde hair, almost as white as his. Thick hair fashioned in a braid on her left shoulder. Her arms in front of her, hand over the other against her light blue and _very_ appealing dress. She was standing in front of a throne, a crown upon her head, a smile on her lips. On on the bottom of her picture wrote: Elsa, July 25th 1839. 

_Wow_

She looked...so free at the time. She had let herself go, she looked happy despite the setting behind her. He never saw what happened to her after she ran away in that forest of frozen trees. Now he suddenly saw her picture here, in a new style, a new dress and a smile on her noble face. Jack felt himself grin as well. Maybe he wasn't exactly _there_ with her at the time. Maybe he didn't _see_ what was happening to her. But he was happy for her even if he never knew she existed in the first place. 

"Pretty isn't she?" 

Jack turned his gaze to Olaf, who held a look of nostalgia, but smiled anyway at her picture. "Oh...yeah. She is" "What happened was that she ran away from the kingdom and made this ice palace here. I think she wore this when she made it. What happened after was that she got captured and sent back to the kingdom. She made it an 'eternal winter' they called it, and froze the fjord solid. There was a guy that wanted to kill her for the throne, he failed and she unfroze the kingdom by the power of 'true love'" Olaf used his arms to express the story. 

"'True love'? Who was it?" "Her sister" 

Jack looked back to the photo of Elsa smiling before the camera. His heart warmed. "...I loved my sister...I can't remember her name but. We were so close. I would tease her and make stupid jokes. Always having fun. Never harm her or anything...so I would understand that" Jack remembered her life through the memory box. She hid herself in loneliness to protect her sister. She loved her sister very much, yet she was afraid of her own beautiful gift to do anything. The only proofs of her beautiful power laid here on this mountain top. 

He heard Olaf rummaging through the wooden box again, putting out the burgundy scarf on his bent leg and placing more folded paper on top of that. More black and white photos of his family appeared on his leg. Jack took the 2 photos in his head, seeing a family photo of 5. Two women, one was Elsa and one her sister, Olaf, a man with blonde hair and a reindeer. He looked at the other photo: It was of Elsa again, in a different dress this time. A dark blue with white fluff around her shoulders, crystals on her chest and a long snowflake cape flowed downwards towards the ground. It was a Christmas setting. Her sister and Olaf were also in the photo. The date had read December 25 1840.

"We had a family tradition" 

"Huh?" Jack turned back to Olaf. "A family tradition. I remember it like it was 12 years ago! When Elsa and Anna didn't have a tradition, I had to go find it for them, and I thought I did. I got lost, something to do with a fruit cake going right through me. Then Elsa and Anna found me and gave me this box. It turns out I was their family tradition..." The snowman stared at the opened box longingly, reminiscing that time. Jack could tell how long it had been through those black eyes of his. Olaf took out the doll version of himself that Elsa kept with her. 

"Elsa kept this with her for a long time, now it's here in this box, tucked away in a sea of old memories....do you have a family tradition?" Black eyes glanced to deep blue.

Jack huffed and stared back down to the old pictures. "... I don't think so. I can't remember what I did with my family. I mean every year North would make gifts and send them to kids all over the world before Christmas....uh Bunny would color eggs every year before Easter, sent them out to kids for egg hunts. I don't know about Sandy though, or Tooth..." Jack rubbed his neck, thinking of what the other guardians do. 

"Hmm. Those are some odd family traditions" Olaf titled his head and blinked. "I mean I wouldn't consider them my family or anything...well not my blood family but-" "How about you? Do you have a tradition?" 

Jack shook his head. "No...not really. Will making blizzards and snow days count as a tradition of mine? I guess so" he shrugged.

"...Do you ever celebrate the holidays?" Jack stayed quiet, busy looking at Elsa's two pictures. "Making decor for people...watching people in their homes cuddling by the fireplaces... starting snowball fights...does that count?" Olaf thought. "Mm..what about talking to other people and singing to them, making them laugh or eat cake with them?" 

Jack was silent, he then stood up, letting the photos and scarf to hit the cold icy floor of the castle. He turned around, knowing that those doors weren't opening for him, and saw the other snowmen watching them from the wide stairs. "Jack?" No reply, he just kept walking up the wide steps slowly. 

Olaf huffed, taking the photos and scarf to place them back in the box. He held the box against his body and hurried to him. "Jack?" Said man sighed, his hands in his pockets as he kept walking up, his cape moving along with him. Olaf hopped two steps at a time to catch up, that man was quick on his feet yet he managed to be stop him in time from going further up the steps. "...Jack?" Jack stopped in his tracks, the hood over his head shadowing his eyes only slightly to cover his tears. "Move Olaf" 

"I'm not moving" Olaf held his ground. "Please..." his voice raspy again. That phrase giving him flashbacks of that time when Elsa had refused to come back. "Just go away" Jack then moved around him, about to jump so he would fly, but he felt something grab his cape. He turned his head back, seeing those same lonely eyes in the snowman. The man sighed and turned to him, his voice in a whisper. 

"No one can see me Olaf. No human can. I can't go into houses, or talk to people personally. I can't join them for any holidays or whatever it is...." Jack held the rail to the stairway leading to the second floor. "And why not? Why can't they see you?" Olaf furrowed his own eyebrows, wanting answers. 

"Because I'm dead" 

* * *

[Burgess, Pennsylvania]

"Jamie? Dinner is ready- What are you doing so close to the screen?" Jamie's mother asked after opening the door and seeing her son about 3 inches away from the computer screen. There were books stacked on top of each other; titles of translations, encyclopedias etc. She walked closer to the light switch, seeing that his room had been dark since morning and the blinds were closed, she turned on the light. The room was brighter now, and Jamie was still glued to his screen. She saw his three gifts on his bed, untouched from this morning. She sighed, her hands on her hips and walked closer to him this time. "Jamie Bennett. There won't be any fried rice left. I know it's your favorite. If you don't come down, Sophie might eat it all" 

"Okay" Was his only reply, eyes then darted to the opened ancient book. 

"Are you doing your history assignment?" "About the Native Indians and Pilgrims? Yes" His mother sighed "Alright then. I'll leave it on your night stand. Work hard" With that, his mother closed the door to Jamie's room. 

Jamie, after hearing the click on his door, laid back his chair, his eyes exhausted from the screen's brightness. Yet he couldn't stop now, he couldn't just give up these translations. After seeing the pictures, looking through the book and carefully retracing the language. He had searched up on his computer, scanned most pages and took out books he brought from a his library. He had a whole shelf of books, and three of them were needed for whatever lore this thing held. He had never seen such a book in his life, let alone on the internet. He knew that most books were published, so many books had burned and been destroyed during the roman's time. Yet he had managed to translate the date of this book: 657

That was the date the these people adopted the Roman influence, created writing in Norse runes, seeing creatures they never saw before. Recording them down with this rune language that most Scandinavians used before. Jamie had been researching for years about legends and stories and dreamed of moving out those vast and magical lands to see them in person. Well without being cautious of course. 

The page he had been left on was the book with the trolls faces and one holding the northern lights over his hands. He wanted to them. The trolls in the book, they looked so different from the ones shown on the internet. He wanted to know these things were like, what magic they possessed. Though now he was only focused on translating more runes on the internet, writing them down on separate pieces of paper and sticking them inside the book. 

He had seen pages of star maps, constellations and words in the same format. He saw the same stars lines as others would see now. Draco, Big Dipper, Corona Borealis and other constellations he never knew existed. There was a drawing of a wolf, a fisherman, and a toe which was strange but that's what they saw in those times. Jamie sighed, closing his eyes and hearing the door open again to reveal his mother walk back into the room. She held a bowl of fried rice and placed it next to his bed. "There you go, don't push yourself and please get some sleep" His mom walked over to him and kissed his forehead before leaving his room again. 

Jamie didn't know if he would tonight. This gift that received from someone must know that he loved these types of subjects, they they knew him and that his love for myths and fairy tales didn't really end. Even though he stopped believing, his focus switched to these stories around the world. His love for giants and the truth made him slightly obsessed and he had to take some king of therapy from talking to no one but himself. Thinking he saw angels in the sky or something...well for all he knew it could have been aliens. Though he still needed to research about those aquatic things. 

Brown eyes turned to the steamed rice on his nightstand, he could smell the food and he was hungry. Jamie left his chair and sat on his bed, taking the bowl of rice his hands and starting munching it down, not looking anywhere but his food. 

The computer screen had been on a website page that was completely different to the page he left the book on. Instead of rock trolls hiding in the Norwegian forests, the screen showed a picture of a women, all dressed in white and holding a Norse drum in her lap. Paragraphs were written on right side of the image: 

Noaidi: 

The Sami Shaman, Noaidi, is a spiritual guide to heal and mediate for the Sami villages. It is believed that they can travel through three realms of spiritual reality through a trance-like state. The Noaidi's purpose for contacting these realms were many: Uncovering secrets, manipulating the weather, healing, displaying good or bad fortune, protection, communicating/mediating with the dead, the spirits of nature, gods and the unseen world. 

* * *

[North Mountian]

[December 26, 2027]

Jack laid there against the balcony doorway, closed shut with the snowflake pattern above him. Everyone had been sleeping somewhere in the palace, yet Jack was well awake. He didn't sleep. He never needed to sleep. He's a spirit, spirits don't sleep. Well granted that Sandy knocked out the guardians with his dream sand, but still that didn't count for human beings. Humans needed sleep. It was clockwork for them, they were like pieces of energy, human souls that run like batteries. Though he knew humans more than snowmen, that phrase of human soul doesn't fit. They weren't human at all, just magic, pure snow and magic with humane emotions and feelings. A sigh came out of the guardians lips, the back of his head resting on ice doors. He was the only one left awake, and he was thinking of the conversation some hours ago before midnight. 

"People...can _walk_ through you?" Olaf asked, his eyes widened as he and Jack were sitting on the huge throne. "Yeah" "And they don't _notice_? At all?" Jack nodded his head. "They just feel cold, chilly and say it was the wind, or they wore less clothing. But it flurries every time" "So...does that mean your a dead sorcerer?" "What? Where did you get that idea? I'm not a sorcerer" "Well you have a magic Staff, and a cloak and make ice magic out of your hands. That sounds like a sorcerer to me" Olaf pointed to the staff and cape. "I'm a spirit of nature Olaf, I'm not a human who does magic...well not a living one anyway. But still, I'm more of a myth. A...'personification of winter' spirit. Invisible to everyone unless they believe _hard_ enough that something out there is controlling nature. And they won't think it's me" Jack got off of the throne and flew upwards towards the dangling snowflakes, fixing a few in place. 

"Why not?" 

"Because there are plenty of other seasonal spirits out there who can do my job" 

"How many winter spirits are out there besides you Jack?" 

Jack stopped playing with the hanging snowflakes and looked away in a slow thought process. True he has never seen any other winter spirits, but he has seen other spirits of elements around the world. He has seen other 'personifications' around the countries. Other legends, other myths of spirits and gods and monsters and sorcerers...He shrugged. 

"Father Winter" 

He went back to playing with the hanging decorations. 

That was about 4 hours ago, and now he watched the snowman sleep on a mound of his own. He saw no dream sand come in, but at least the place wasn't so dark anymore. He _could_ close his eyes, he _could_ just take a nap when he wouldn't have to be so busy spreading winter everywhere for fun. Fun can be hard work sometimes too. He could just rest for 2 hours and not dream of anything, just hear the silence of whistling winds and....

The doors suddenly swung open behind him. Jack fell to the ground and he saw the same winter wind surround him. Talking to him and forcefully carry him out into the moonlight and ways away from the Ice Palace. 


	8. Trolls left in Spring

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elsa is weakened, and Trolls are in the Warren

[Enchanted Forest, Norway]

[October 18, 1842]

Gale flew miles, maybe minutes, towards the kingdom of Arendelle. The autumn leaves were a good design to know that she was there and spoke in a way that didn't do well with human sound. Humans never understood her speech, so she used with the leaves as a way to communicate and show where she was.  
There she arrived at the kingdom, seeing Anna walk out with Matthias next to her. Helping her out to uncover the bronze statue of her parents: Agnarr and Iduna as children. Remembering that they were connected by love.

The humans and spirits would live in harmony together finally. No more fighting, no more colonists taking lands. No more trickery.

Gale had watched before going down to Anna, taking the folded paper in hand, indicating a 'yes, i'll give it to Elsa' and flew away. Past the village, past the towns and newly arriving shipments towards the north. She arrived at the Enchanted forest and saw Elsa, the bridge between humans and spirits all dressed in white and a sky blue, playing with Bruni on her shoulder.

The autumn leaves had dried up, frosted over and crumbled back into the earth, back into Mother Nature. They were replaced by the light snow of winter. Which was strange considering it was still early in autumn. Though this country is pretty close to the arctic circle. The wind spirit took Elsa's attention, who held the most pleasant smile on her face. She felt at peace here. Gale handed her the folded note and left, wanting to play with the little Sami children who were piling snow. Then she heard her name being called.

"Hey Gale...we're going for a ride, wanna come?"

Oh yes. She would _love_ to come, join her in a ride for a sense of adventure and fun. See more of the world instead of being locked here in this forest for years by that mist. Finally being able to roam like she always wished for 34 years. The death of the chieftain had angered her and the other three into agreeing that humans- well those specifically- can't be trusted.

Colonists could never be trusted.

Elsa placed her forehead on the Nokk, who's watery form she has known for so long shifted to an ice coating. The ice would hold his wavering waters into place. Nokk admired his new change of look, the ice had been layered thick so it wouldn't crack as he strode around. He dipped to her, letting the winter spirit climb upon him and create reins for her to take control.

Bruni had jumped down, following them as the three of them ran towards the open ocean waters. Gale saw Elsa make a snow mound for the little fire spirit, who happily plopped himself into the snow, sizzling his burning body.  
She watched Elsa wave goodbye to the two adventure-seeking siblings, riding their reindeer sleighs to the same destination.  
Yet she was faster, Elsa was faster than them by Gale's wind and Nokk's speed combined. It was incredible how her bones never broke or shattered from that speed. Of course Gale was known for being a very playful and joyous wind spirit, she would pick people up to play with them and even joke with them from time to time. But she was fierce, very fierce and dangerous when provoked. She is a nature spirit after all. Like all the others, Gale had been kind to them and would never be triggered unless provoked by intruders harming the forest.

Elsa and Nokk rode the reflections of the sea, Gale trailing behind as her support boost. Watching them both together, Elsa taking a deep breath of fresh scented freedom. Well more or so the water or the wind she beholds. But the scenery was beautiful. Elsa galloping away into the sunset with nothing blocking her way but the light of the sun.

Elsa was free. She had accepted herself and had the freedom to do whatever she wanted. She was no longer the queen of Arendelle, but the fifth spirit, the guardian and bridge of the two realms.  
Gale followed, watching them from behind, seeing the strong connection between Nokk and Elsa awed her. She questioned how those two had ever gotten along so well. Nokk was one of respect, he held wrath, danger and was not easily swayed by humans. Humans who had trespassed his waters.  
He had given them trials, tests and let them drown into his waves. He'd been looking for a worthy opponent and he found an ally in Elsa.

Their bond and connection made her wonder if Gale would find an ally like that again. A friend she'd love to have fun with and doesn't mind being blown away miles into the air. 

She remembered her time with Iduna, when the little girl loved to be flown into the air and laughed aloud with joy. Of course all these other kids in the village were a joy to her, but the wind changes and so do the people.

Now that the mist had lifted, villagers were rushing to the other worlds out there. The reindeer were free and the people that were trapped decided to not stay as much, wanting to see the open sky. They wanted to see the stars, the constellations and the great rift over the world. The Northuldra wanted to see magic in the stars, they knew the stars held something other wordily. Spirits of other realms, Mythical beasts of yore were out there. Yet the tribe also did not want to leave the forest either. Staying here so long in the mist made them comfortable, stubborn as an earth giant, and slightly afraid of the outside world. One half was excited, the other afraid. 

Elsa, though at peace with herself and her purpose as the bridge of human and spirit, didn't really know what she felt. She longed to go out and explore, but her home was here and Arendelle. She wasn't the only bridge, just one of two sides. Anna was second. 

She was the earth that Elsa had missed and left behind. Never challenged the earth giants, never showed them her power. They can sense her powers and her presence. Yet they never went to her either. Gale was the first to attack them and the first to show them the memories of the forest. The moments frozen in time. Gale had given them a hint, she felt her power of ice take her away and confirm who she was battling with. Gale showed them the statues of their parents being saved by her. Gale had watched over them for a bit, hiding them away and getting out of the forest. Again she was the first to know. She purposely flew past him to Iduna and played with her. She played with Agnarr before and blown him away. 

Now as years have gone and seasons have changed. Her lovely playmates had past on, died at shipwreck. She loved both of them. They were children to her and she would do anything for them. Even let them hide away and escape. Never to be seen again. She understood. Humans don't last forever. No one could see her anyway. An invisible entity, a very playful wind spirit. A passion for the forests. 

Yet there was something out there that she wanted to know, wanted to see. Just like the rest of the villagers, just like Elsa, she wanted to see other things, other spirits and stars and what not around the world. So when Gale left the forest and traveled to Arendelle one night, she saw hummingbirds. Hummingbirds in autumn and going through every window. Collecting white pearly...teeth in hand. Apparently they weren't hummingbirds at all, but fairies! 

Gale made a nose of excitement and whirled herself around a couple of fairies. They were confused, shocked, squealing lightly in panic, but they didn't fall or anything. When she whirled around them, they just flew with the wind and air. She was so excited. More fairies! More fairies, more spirits like her that can fly. 

She could have spent all night with them, but they had to leave and do their strange job of collecting teeth. Gale just floated there as they left the village-now town- behind. Gale was alone in the empty air. She hasn't met any other wind spirit like her. Even when invisible to humans, she can still see other Invisible entities out there. 

Gale had watched Elsa go on her adventure, on her journey. She loved Elsa as much as her parents and Gale would follow her, be happy with her in the forests and see what she does to the ice and snow. She had accompanied Elsa back to Arendelle every Friday. She had seen the works of the kingdom transform themselves. She watched in awe and wonder. She had been kindly greeted by the citizens in the expanding town. She had blown the sails away and brought them to the port. 

Years past. And the worst had yet to settle. Anna had died of old age, a happy life. Her children grew, grandchildren and so on. Gale had visited them ever so often. Elsa had visited once in a while for her nephews and nieces. People had tried to take her back as Queen because of a descendant's conflict, but she loved her freedom more than anything. So Elsa didn't do so much as watch over them and protect her people when needed. Villagers of Northudra moved on to different towns close to Arendelle. Some villagers moved into said town. Some stayed in the forest to keep tradition.

100 years had past. Gale watched. Nokk watched. Mother Nature watched. The world watched. 

World War

The second war in fact. 

German troops had swarmed into Arendelle- now named Bergen - through the North Sea with warships, attacking the city. Gale tried, they were tough. Nokk had tried taking down the warships, but they had already left before he could do anything. The earth giants were back in the forest, Bruni had stayed with Elsa.

Elsa was still alive. Still wandering.

Spirits never really die yet Gale had traveled and warned her and Elsa went back to the Forest. The towns that were close to the Enchanted forest had been protected by her ice magic. The German troops from other cities had merged together. They continued forward until they reached the old rock runes of the entrance. The troops awed at the sight of Elsa yet they continued. The troops didn't stop firing as she attacked. The battle had gone on for a long time. They were never exhausted, never scared. No screaming of emotions. No struggle. They kept dodging her ice attacks and had kept a target on her. She was worried about the soldiers and their war machines. Elsa had to protect what was left of her family, of her home from the soldiers. She'd been seen plenty of times doing ice magic by citizens. Frightened newcomers and governors had called her a snow witch. A sorcerer. Now these soldiers were trying to take her out. She remembered it like it was that day: arrows had flown, spiked her enemies against the ice wall. But there was no ice wall, there were no spikes. 

There were only burning trees, shouting and armies of solders with guns and grenades.

Elsa called the other spirits to get them out. Gale had moved Elsa's tired arms outwards, gesturing her to form the fog. All of the other spirits had to agreed with Gale. The fog had to return. Elsa formed the fog around the Forest, the troops saw this happening, trying to find her. One had gone a little deeper and thrown something into the thick gray mist, eventually, they ran out of the forest from the falling rocks thrown by the giants. The troops who had been pushed out of the forest never saw the inside of it again, the fog pushing them back, further and further away from the entrance. Everything was covered in a very tall wall of thick fog. The troops had no choice but to leave. 

Aircraft had followed them to the forest. Two or three troops saying there was a witch, a powerful ice maiden that was inside. They say that her head would cost a fortune. That they were looking for this 'myth' they called her. The myth of the ice witch/snow queen had spread years ago, but never farther than Europe for she lives in the North. Yet still they wanted to see her for themselves, and take her away for a reward and 'proof' that something like her can control the winter weather. The Aircraft were also blocked by the huge mist, blinding the ground and the mountain tops. They were ordered to bomb the forest, search the mountains for any loot such as iron ores or gold. Yet the forest mist was too thick for the aircraft to land, and they weren't sure how long the fog would go for. So they dropped the small bombs into the forest. The sounds of explosions occurred in different areas. The aircrafts were hit by giant propelling rocks. About 4 of them made impact, and crashed landed either into the Atlantic Sea or directly somewhere in the enchanted forest. 2 aircraft had survived the massive rocks and roaring winds and managed to escape further North, where the fog had reached a stopping point. 

Elsa didn't know what was happening. But Bruni and Gale had noticed her breathing raspy, falling to the ground. The Earth giants and Nokk were occupied with taking down more warships and incoming aircraft. Bombs had fallen to the ground around her, some miles away and some close to her. Creating holes and dust into the earth. More bombs were being thrown, and Gale blew them away from her, letting them explode somewhere off in the river. None of the explosive bombs and the whistling winds could outmatch the aircraft falling from the skies. Elsa looked up and around to see the forest being destroyed in a way by these machines. How could such things damage a forest like this? This is an enchanted forest! Full of magical spirits and yet there were more troops that been trapped inside this forest. Elsa didn't see any of them sneaking in here when she placed the fog to hide the forest, and yet here they were, holding guns and weapons and marching like machines. What did they want from her? What did they want from this forest?

She kept coughing, clutching her throat, her eyes wide in fear as she stared at the freshly green grass of spring. She heard feet, plenty of them charging to her. She felt the earth shake madly, bombs being thrown, explosions. Troop voices being heard, rocks being tossed to protect her. Elsa closed her eyes, something stinged, making her eyes water. She couldn't see. Gale made a tornado around her as soon as the troops from the aircrafts ran to her and surrounded the winter spirit. Bruni snarled, his eyes fierce as pinkish fire grew from his body. The salamander than placed himself into the tornado, creating a fire tornado that would spread, hopefully warning them away, making sure that these troops would burn and leave her alone. 

Elsa stood up, slowly but ran as fast as she could. Gale's tornado shielding the back and sides of her as Bruni was on her shoulder. The troops, who ran from the enormous fire were now saying to chase after the witch. Their original goal was to mine the mountains and the earth of the iron and magical crystals that were below. Now after taking sight of this ice witch and communicated about her, they were ordered to take her as hostage. Examine her, see where her magic source was. They had planned to conquer and spread themselves as far as possible. Elsa had ran as fast as she could to the water, Nokk's sea water, so she would escape them. Every hit with her ice magic did...well nothing! It did nothing to the troops! Like they weren't even human! Nevertheless Elsa kept running, hearing shots being fired and dirt being thrown everywhere. 

As soon as she got to the water, Nokk appeared with his watery form and quickly took Elsa to the ocean. Creating dangerous waves behind them as the three spirits hitched a ride and made sure that the troops didn't make it far. The waves were too dangerous, so they stopped. Halted in there tracks and stared coldly out into the ocean. The cold, emotionless stare was more chilling then her own power. Elsa was too far gone from the troops to do anything. Gladly the aircrafts and the warships hadn't made it this far north. Nokk was doing his best to keep the waters as dangerous and fearful as possible, not letting anything approach her. 

Gale had stopped the tornado behind her back and kept along side her. Bruni was clutching on her shoulder, making sure he didn't fall into the waves of death below them. Elsa on the other hand was still coughing, she could see again and saw the sun beginning to set before her. What she breathed in in the fog wasn't a smoke bomb or poison or anything. She didn't know what it was, but it had mixture of purple, black and yellow. Something was wrong with her. She was getting tired, perhaps of getting older and being a human, or it is this effect that was holding her down. 

Elsa shook her head, slapping herself in the face with Bruni's fire to wake up. She needed to stay awake, even if the sun had already set and the ocean reflected the sky's blackness. She charged Nokk to go faster, further away from the dreaded forest. She felt bad, sorrowful of what she did. But she had to create that fog again, to hide the forest's magic and herself. It wasn't her fault that those troops were still there, snuck in and was probably prepared to destroy this place anyway. She had left the fog there, trapped those troops inside, and probably the remaining Northudra tribes inside too. Elsa shed a single tear, but kept going. "I'm sorry" 

She fled to Ahtohallan. 

* * *

[Burgess, Pennsylvania]

[December 22 2027]

"Eliza? Are you okay?" 

Blue-green eyes shifted from the empty nightstand and the blue frosted covered windows to the opened door. Elizabeth's little brother was at her door. The darkness of the room brightened by the hallway's lights as he opened her bedroom door. The girl turned over correctly to align her neck straight. She saw her brother there, blue-green eyes looking up from her bed in worry. "I'm fine" she coughed, hiding her newly found sickness under her blanket, not wanting to get her dear little brother sick. "You sure? you don't sound like it..." Elizabeth sighed. "What do you want?" "Dad said to bring you hot chocolate. It always cheers you up from the cold" Elizabeth watched her brother hold two mugs of hot chocolate in his hand and placed them down on her nightstand. Elizabeth then shuffled in her bed to sit up, feeling the beating headache return again. She clutched her messy blonde hair in pain. "D-don't get up so fast! I heard from Dad that you got a cold yesterday night. Why did you come home so late anyway?" 

Elizabeth turned her head slowly from the dresser across from her, holding the red ancient book, to the mug of hot chocolate. She carefully took the hot mug into her freezing hands. Placing the hot chocolate to her lips, she felt so much better as the warmth slid to her stomach. She thought it ridiculous for wearing such clothing out in that freezing weather. It was just the dead of night and she just wanted to read her book in silence, not hearing her brother and father shout at the TV screen all of last night. The clothes that she wore weren't even fit for the December cold, yet she had that feeling of wearing such layers. It was odd for her to get sick though. She was never bothered by the cold since they lived in Europe for so long. Well she knew that a flu didn't come from the cold, but that chilling sensation from last night with Jamie caught her off guard. 

That last night felt like she was being watched and it gave her the flu. Which was an odd reason for a flu to appear. Though the encounter with that...ghost had been peculiar indeed. That mythical creature she encountered. Invisible like a spirit yet it kept showing off it's strange powers. Of course with any one around, they would be scared of a magical ghost running around the place. But she was superstitious, she knew about different entities and magical beasts. Her family did move from Norway after all, home to the Norsemen and the strange mythical creatures that hide. So when coming here to North America, she wondered if any of these beasts still roam here freely. Maybe new types of myths were here, stories from tribesmen or anything really would interest her. On her 16th birthday her father gave her that old ancient book of recorded myths. Myths and fairy tales, storybooks and sightings of creatures that may still exist. It was exciting to her. 

She loved folklore like no other, and her father noticed that trait. She would do anything to see magic personally, she still believed that magic was there. It was there but invisible in the human eyes. For 6 years she would read and investigate the book. It was huge and the myths were sometimes short and to the point. Others were long with chapters and seemed never ending, but she read them anyway. 

After coming home from that encounter with a spirit, scanning the pages and wondering what that spirit was in front of her. She didn't know why that spirit followed her to begin with, but she did have a clue who it might have been. The spirit left a frost mark on a short story of one of her favorites: The Frost King. Why was the Frost King one of her favorites? Well back when she lived in Norway, Elizabeth read the short story and saw that he lived in the far North. Where far North? She didn't know exactly, but the drawings that were in that giant book held resemblance to the many poems and short stories of Jack Frost. 

Of course that there were so many interpretations of Jack Frost throughout Europe, but she knew that the personification started in England. There was also Jokul too, the dangerous and hectic frost giant, but he was never as playful and mischievous as the Anglo-Saxon counterpart. Jokul and Jack Frost were separate entities. One a giant and the other an ice-elf that paints the windows. So when she met this winter magic spirit freezing everywhere it went, she just had to know which winter spirit it was. 

And she was overjoyed that this spirit she encountered was none other than Jack Frost. The England personification of winter. 

"-Was it a guy?" 

Elizabeth blinked from her consuming thoughts and turned her head to her brother, who was also drinking his hot chocolate, waiting for her to answer. She drifted away in thought and left her brother talking to her. "What?" He sighed while drinking his chocolate. "Was it a guy that made you sick? Did he give you any...cooties?" His eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Wait what? No!" She coughed. "Are you... _suure_?" His eyes squinted some more if that was possible. Elizabeth blushed lightly, looking away from her brother. 

"Yes. Kris, I'm sure. It wasn't a guy. It was really chilly out last night. I had to get away from you two screaming at the TV all day" "Hey! we weren't screaming. Me and dad are just really passionate about video games" "Uh-huh. Passionate" "I don't get how you read a book like that! It's huge!" 

Elizabeth saw her younger brother walk to her dresser and open the fat book of stories. "And the pages are all...frozen?" Kris tried to flip to a page but he felt the stinging cold of ice and frost. "It's a hobby of mine" "A hobby? More like an _obsession_ " "So what if I'm obsessed with fairy tales? You're no more obsessed with video games than me with my books!" Kris sighed and felt the pages again. The ice wasn't melting and her room was warm enough because of the heater, so he had expected the ice to melt by now. 

"That book is weird" He snatched his hand away from the iced pages and walked back to the nightstand. "What do you mean weird?" "The pages are frozen and its warm in here to melt anything" "That's because a spirit visited me and froze the book" Kris rolled his eyes and chuckled "Yeah right, it probably did that so you'd stop reading that thing and talk to us sometimes" 

"I..I think it did just that..." Elizabeth stared down at her half-drunken mug. Maybe Kris was right, maybe this spirit -she assumed was the ice-elf himself- wanted her to stop reading and go to sleep. It was sweet that this spirit cared for her, maybe it lived here in the town. Since she has seen his frosted patterns all over the Burgess statue and almost everywhere on the house windows. She watched her brother gulp down more of his hot chocolate. 

"Kris..." "Mmhmm?" "Do you want to hear a fairy tale?" "Fairytale of what?" He looked up at his older sister, who had hoped he would believe in fairytales like he used too. Elizabeth thought, rubbing her nose with sleeve. "Um...how about...the Huldrefolk?" "What in the- is that a Norwegian myth? Sis I thought you were done with myths. stories like those are so bizarre! Like. I mean a rainbow bridge?! No-one can walk on a rainbow! It's a reflection of the sun and rain water. You can walk through a rainbow, but not _on top_ of it"

"Have you ever heard of symbolism? I know that you can't walk on rainbows, the rainbow is a bridge to Asgard and Midgard, not a literal one Kris. I know you see yourself old enough to not believe in fairy tale stories anymore but, I still think they're real. I want to see them for myself one day. So I'm telling you a story" "But you're sick" 

"I'm still telling you one!" Elizabeth coughed louder this time. Kris sighed, feeling guilty, he pulled up a chair and took his sister's book his lap, despite it being heavy to the eyes, it was surprisingly light. He started to turn some of the pages, or skimming through it. "What are you doing?" Elizabeth asked, the mug still in hand. "I'm reading you a story this time" "You..you don't have to" "Why? You're the sick one. I remember when you used to read me stories when I was sick. So I'm just doing a favor" Kris was still skimming through the pages, not noticing Elizabeth grinning at her brother. 

"How about this one. This isn't frozen or wet" He pointed to a page. "What is it?" This is exciting, even though she read through half of the index book already, she still wanted to hear them again since there were so many she probably didn't remember. "What's it called" "Umm...Biboon? What's a Biboon?" "A Canadian myth...a North Wind spirit" "Huh..." Kris flipped more pages. "Oh! What about the "The Great Hare" or....Trolls?" 

Elizabeth sighed on her bed, drinking what's left of her hot chocolate. "Alright. Tell me a story about the trolls instead"

* * *

[Warren]

[December 25, 2027]

"Ey, this is strange as all hell" Bunnymund grumbled, twitching his ear as the drumming finally stopped when he reached the Warren. 

"I'll say" 

"Crikey!" Bunnymund jumped in panic, not knowing that there was someone else in the Warren with him. Green emerald eyes shifted and hopped throughout the area. He didn't see anything suspicious in the Warren around him until he finally saw a shadow pop out from his traveling tunnel. "Who's there?!"

The shadow revealed itself to be a green clad and ginger haired man. Wearing a green top hat and a coattail jacket designed with Celtic symbols. Pointy elf ears shown through his wavy hair. He walked out. Dressed as fancy as he ever could with a pipe in his mouth.

"Its gettin' weird over at ol' Ireland. The seasons are changin' real quick. Its like its snowin' none stop!" 

The Irishman hopped gracefully from moss rock to rock until he reached Bunny. Bunnymund laid down his boomerangs at the sight of him. Green emerald eyes met jade. He hasn't seen this fellow in a while. "Pat? What in the name- how did you get in here?!" The Irishman shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. But Imma tell ya something lad, I've seen some weird snowflakes lately. I'm still amazed its still snowing! Usually Ireland doesn't get so much snow! By the way how's the eggs?" 

Bunnymund watched his spring holiday pal roam over the Warren, looking for those cute walking eggs he loved so much. The creature crossed his arms and watched him balance himself on the steep mossy rocks. "They're fine Pat, how did you get in here? I didn't send ya down here or anything!" Pat turned his focus to the tall Australian. "I have my ways...by the way, did ya know the trolls migrated?" He went back at admiring the colorful paint flowers spraying blue and yellow paint on a few white eggs. Bunny blinked "Trolls? What trolls?" Pat then skipped to face the Hare. "Ya know, since there are tons of trolls around the UK and Ireland right now, I don't know what's going on, but they're migrating south! I've even seen some go all the way to Morocco!" 

"Why are ya tellin me this? I've nothin' to do with it" "I know, just wanted a friend to talk to ya know? All of the other spirits are in hiding or something" "Hiding? Why would they be in hiding? I know that humans change mind and-" "Humans don't believe enough Aster. Everyone's always focused on electronics these days and not Mother Nature! They still think we're not real, just characters in a storybook. Just symbolism" Pat was inches away from Aster's face, Jade green eyes stared into emerald. "I mean! they even made a cereal box out of me! I look disgustin'. Have you seen what they do to ya?!" Pat placed his hands on his head in exaggeration. Bunny sighed. "I've seen it in stores and other places, but don't get so worked up on that nonsense mate" A paw was placed on the silver Celtic patterns stitched to his coat. He couldn't help that his dear friend of his was an over exaggerating loud Irishmen.

Patrick wasn't really a Saint, but a mischievous fae known in Ireland, follow the ends of the rainbow and you'll probably find his 'gold' somewhere. Not like the stories and the myths of the leprechaun, this one wasn't all that short or wrinkly. He was loud but he was attractive, charming to the eyes of human ladies. He likes to call himself a charmer, a Gancanagh he is. That's probably where the 'Lucky Charms' phrase came from. He has the charms, and he was oh so very lucky indeed. He's always lucky to slip through the minds of Irish and UK ladies alike, doing things for him that he wouldn't want to do. Sometimes his species are confused with the short green clad guy they parade everywhere, but Pat was glad to not be shown in populated streets. He himself didn't do anything but let the humans do the mascoting for him. Pat was cheeky that way, he could've been a thief with taking their own money away and stacking them in pots somewhere in the woodlands. The only key to finding your lost money was to follow his 'rainbow'. 

"I know, I know" "Tell me about the snowflakes you've seen. Cause' I've seen em too mate. Tooth and North seen em for miles everywhere, not to mention hearing noises. Ya heard any noises lately?" Bunnymund titled his head. Pat looked away in thought. "yeah...plenty of noise. Music...of some kind. Like a calling for somethin'. It sounded mystical in a way. Enchanting" Pat took his pipe into his hands and placed it in his vest pocket. "Like, it was calling for spirits of some sort. But it faded after I got away from it. I did see humans not long ago walking past the symbols. They don't even see em, just go right past em" "Hmm" Bunnymund placed a paw under his chin in thought and walked around the Warren. Pat following him. 

Even though he saw it once, or maybe a few times, Aster was curious about those Norse ruins. He knew he had seen them before on different stones somewhere, but that was centuries ago. Now he was seeing those ruins again, being followed by plenty of snowfall. Not to mention noises and frost had followed with them. Recalling what Tooth had told him. They were mostly seen in lakes and water, accompanied with snow and frost. Bunnymund stopped pacing around and turned to Pat, who stared wide eyed in question at the Hare's sudden realization. "What is it?" Pat asked, sitting on giant rock egg. "Those snowflakes we all kept seeing, it has something to do with Jack!" 

"Frost? Ye Ol' Jackaboy ice-elf who became guardian 27 years ago?" "Yup!" "Hmm...you think it ain't Father Winter doing all of that?" "I know Jack, he buried a whole town in 13 feet of snow! Even I saw it! Though I never heard those sounds before in my life...first the drumming, then the chanting and now music? It has to do something with Jack and that symbol together. Maybe those things follow 'im around? It's weird, I've just seen em recently and its all over the world?" Pat watched the tall Easter Bunny pace around, thinking as the little white eggs were marching along, getting painted for earlier preparations. 

"Aster..." Pat said, seeing something small move in the shadows. He glanced from the small shadow to the mumbling rabbit. "Uh...Aster?" The small shadow moved, its round formation shifted into a small creature with eyes piercing through the shadow. Pat stood up from the mossy rock stepped back. "Yeah?" Said rabbit stopped in his tracks to see the green clad fae look past him in panic. Aster turned around sharply again on the other side to see the figure come out of the shadows, making a rolling sound. More rolling sounds occurred from the darkness of the tunnel. Aster took up his boomerangs, ready to fight whoever infiltrated his realm. The rolling grew louder and the first small figure came out of the shadows. 

"My! This looks like a cozier place to stay in then the other that forest! Come on out guys, we're staying here!" 

Aster couldn't believe his emerald eyes. Before him was a rock troll, not like the trolls that merged with the rocks in Iceland, but small 3 foot sized hairy rock trolls. They were covered in leaves twigs and other stones. And the strange part was there was so many of them. So, oh so many of them. Rolling out of the entrance tunnel as small mossy rocks and forming themselves into those rock trolls. All of them looked around the Warren in shock and surprise, seeing the beautiful spring season that reminded them so much of home. Their eyes widened and smiles with laughter appeared. Baby trolls were there, running around and playing in the grass. 

Aster lowered his guard, his ears drooped and his eye twitched at the sight of these things making a havoc in his realm like it was a playground and a welcoming stay. He saw a couple of baby trolls run in circles and under the rock egg mounds, catching butterflies in their stony hands. What is this? What is happening? Who in the name of- WHY ARE THERE TROLLS IN HIS REALM?! The creature sighed, furrowing his eyebrows in dismay. Pat had kept his balance on the rock, seeing maybe a sea of rock trolls run and jump and play with the flowers and newly colored Easter eggs- THE EASTER EGGS! 

As the sounds of the trolls seemed to have dominated the Warren, Aster's scream at out matched all of them, along with a loud and attention-inducing thump to the ground, shaking the whole place slightly. The trolls went silent and spun around to see a tall wild hare with boomerangs in hand and a strap of colored bomb eggs. 

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Aster's voice echoed in the area, causing them to go silent and the trolls to stop moving. "TELL ME, ALL OF YOU, WHO SENT YOU HERE?!" 

Suddenly, the group of trolls separated and a rock rolled out into the open in front of Bunnymund. The rock troll showed himself, he was older than the rest, but he was dressed like a leader. Bunnymund quickly assumed it was the leader of this troll pack. "My deepest apologize" The old troll bowed. "Yea you better apologize. You can't just come in here uninvited and say this is your home! Get out! You're ruining my work!" Aster leaned down to the old rock troll's height. Even though he has seen trolls before when hopping around the world, he's never really seen smaller trolls like these before. "Ah...you see...we can't go back to our homeland, despite living there unharmed for many years" "And why's that?" 

"Our home is in danger...sizzling hot temperatures are not good conditions for trolls such as us. We tried migrating south, across the oceans on cargo ships and we met your elf friend over there. We..we needed a new home to stay since..." The old troll looked down in dismay, which confused and concerned the Hare. "And you think coming into my Warren was a good idea? I don't even know how you guys got in here, let alone him" Aster gestured his head to the gingered fae, who waved at the old troll. "After we met him...a strange creature showed up and promised us a new home, one where is it eternal spring, but is underground and very hard to get to. It...held something in its hands and we were all here" 

Aster sighed and stood back up, getting the attention of all of the trolls, but still eyeing the elder troll. The elder troll waved his hands in the air and a surprising silhouette appeared in colored aurora. "If we stay here, we won't be burning like the creatures in our area. It happened two weeks ago. We heard a calling and a sudden shift in the season approached us. The earth was scorching and we feared we might be cooked" "...Trolls turn to stone and crack when hit by sunlight...right?" The elder troll nodded. "What about the winter? You trolls like the winter? Go to Canada or Greenland! There's plenty of snow up there!" "We can't live in freezing winter conditions either. The ice harms us" 

Aster sighed, looking around to see plenty of Troll eyes on him, waiting for a answer and hoping they would stay here for some unknown reason. For him he was hoping until the winter season was done, kick them all out in January or February, maybe hope that damn groundhog didn't promise another 6 weeks of this. But the pleading eyes of these rock troll babies gave him a soft spot. He didn't want those kids to get cooked or cracked in ice even if they _are_ trolls. Bunnymund crossed his arms. 

"Ugh. Fine...I'll let you stay here" The trolls were about to celebrate "But! You all got to help me with the eggs, clean them up the ground and paint them in many colors as you like. If you things know how to paint" He pointed to random trolls in the group. "Oh I like painting!" One had stated. "Well Good! Cause you're doing lots of it" Aster turned his head away from the group and turned to the green clad fae still chilling on a rock and watching a butterfly go by. 

"Pat, come here" Aster gestured and Pat jumped from the egg rock to the floor next to him. "Yeah lad" " _You_ said it was snowing in Ireland. _They_ said it was burning hot like an oven. It's winter" "What? You think they're lying?" "Well..." Aster glanced by to see half of the trolls already picking up eggs and the others picking up flowers. The elder troll was still looking at them both, but followed a butterfly instead. He went back to Pat in a whisper. 

"...I've met trolls before, they're not all the happy bunch and I get trust issues wit' em. Even with all of the...odd weather patterns going on in the winter. I still think they're on to something" "Or they could just want a new home" "Yeah _anywhere but here_ " Pat sighed, thinking that he was the one that brought those trolls here. "Are you going to thump them back all the way back to Norway?" "That's what was going to do, but I'm investigatin' of why it ain't snowing like it should" 

"But isn't that Jackaboy's job? Maybe he didn't want it to snow over there...or where the trolls had been. I mean, if you think that snowfall in the desert is the same boy who made it snow 3 feet at my place, then it's probably the ice-elf" Pat watched Aster walk away and thumping his foot. "I still think they're lying" "And where are you going?! Ya can't just leave me here lad!" "You're comin' with me" "Wha-AAAH" the gingered haired fae suddenly fell into the black hole under his feet, Bunnymund followed behind and the hole closed into a flower. The trolls were left blinking in confusion at the act and went back to painting some white eggs. 

* * *

[April 10, 1942]

A chilling sensation went through the girl, everything was cold again, so very cold. She kept hearing a noise from underneath her feet, or was it was her head? She slowly walked on the snow covered glacier as Nokk was by the sea, staring at the platinum blonde's back. She was just trudging along, huffing out and seeing her breath in the dark night. Bruni was with her, on her shoulder like always, watching in worry and being her light in the darkness of the glacier. Of course the snow had its own glowing effect, but the full moon had shown itself through the disappearing dark clouds. The ray of the moon had lighted her way to Ahtahollen, as it always does when she needed help. She needed peace of mind and the first thing she does was go off and explore, listen to mother nature and find solitude. On her years traveling, she met creatures, beasts and other myths she never knew about. She's seen beasts and spirits without human form. She was sure that there were more creatures out there. yet now was not the time to contemplate the stars and the moon, she was in pain. 

Elsa stopped in her tracks, holding the glacier wall's entrance and seeing her reflection in the ice. She saw her skin, paler than it was before. She looked tired, way to tired and exhausted, yet she never felt tired of traveling in her life and somehow...she just wants to collapse to the ground and sleep. How long has she slept? Did she really need sleep after all of these years? How long was had she become a spirit for? Years? Centuries? Why was she thinking of this now when she could just ask the glacier for help? Like she always does. She coughed and felt her legs weaken. 

Something wormed inside her system, something that bomb held and seized its way into her lungs. She was scared and she left immediately, the look on those soldier's faces irked her the wrong way and those machines had scared her. She never went into war, she never saw the first world war. She was in a safe haven away from it all, that safe haven was here, in Ahtohallen. The glacier that gave her the power of ice, the glacier that gave her power to look to the past and solve any problem the spirits. The warning was the same: Go too far and you will drown. So she tried not to go to far down again. 

Bruni was infront of her this time, looking up at her, the pink flame he kept on him was still glowing, still burning. He made a noise in worry. Elsa smiled shakily. "I'm..I'm fine Bruni. I just need to speak to...mother that's all. Heal myself again" She stood up from the help of Gale and kept going, kept walking into the glacier. 

"I'm home..." 


	9. A Forest in Battle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack discovers an old foggy forest that hid something he thought would never see again

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took a while, I was reading the GOC book series

The doors of the ice castle flew open, the diamond ruins on the door were still there, and the snow storm stopped. Jack fell to the ground, his Staff in hand and he felt something carry him out of the castle and into the open air. The last thing Jack saw was the ice castle doors closing itself again and the part of the mountain top covered in white snow. The spirit was struggling, calling to this wind to stop him. _He_ controlled the wind not the other way around! Jack managed to place his body in a proper flying angle, hearing the wind- who calls itself North Wind- speak to him again. 

"H-hey! Let me go! What are you doing?!" 

_A friend needs help_

_She is in danger_

_I must take you to her_

"Take me? Take me where?! Why are you suddenly talking to me now? After all those years I thought you never spoke" Jack grunted, wanting to fight this white North Wind that saved him from plenty of bruises and another potential death. He had no one, no single human or invisible nature spirit talk to him for years, _years_! And now suddenly the wind speaks to him in a language he could understand and was forcefully taking him somewhere else. The first time he figured how to fly was when he appeared above that pond and seeing that village. He was trying to learn how to fly and that the wind had carried him years ago. The wind that helped him move like a snowflake. He was one with it, but he never truly heard the wind speak in his language before or to anyone. He only heard howls of the wind, sounding like waterfalls through the leaves and never something that sounded so mystical to his ears. But maybe he was the only one who could hear the howling, who could understand the pain and ever shifting directions of this invisible force. He saw underneath him that they had past cities, docks, fjords and hills covered in snow. Yet he saw the snow had been quickly melting. 

"Who's this 'her' you're talking about?" Jack asked, seeing the scenery once again below him. It would have been quicker to go beyond the clouds and towards his destination. But this wind spirit in particular was going all over the place. Jack had accidentally frozen sailing ships, cars, street lights and people when North Wind was taking him somewhere. He saw himself in the water, being pulled around like a rag tall, and seeing plenty of smaller copy-paste symbols as it followed him around. Those things were doing that for 5 days straight. He had hoped that it was going to stop, but apparently it did not. He heard his sister's voice echo again, but with newer sounds surrounding the water. 

"North Wind! Stop! I...I need to hear this" Surprisingly, the magical wind spirit obeyed and Jack stopped, floating in the air above a river, really up north and close to a giant fog he has never seen before in his life. Why oh why is he seeing these things now of all times? The winter spirit looked down and saw his reflection being overrun by these snowflakes in the water that never thaw. He heard his sister speaking his name. Now he was hearing her but with different sounds, sounds that were the most familiar to him that had laid in the back of his mind for centuries. Sounds of drumming, chanting, musical instruments playing and other voices. Jack looked up, seeing his frost appear over the water. The many sounds that he only hears and no-one else was driving him mad. He knew those sounds. Sounds of a friend he's known for so long and lost the memories of all of them. 

Jack's blue snowflake eyes widened, seeing the fog wall before him...separating. Jack walked slowly upon his ice, following the patterns that were appearing before him to the other side of the river. As he finally reached the entrance to the thick fog, Jack felt the wind spirit talk to him again hastily. 

_The fog. It's separating_

"Is is suppose to do that?" Jack pointed to the fog, which was now revealing blackish gray stones in a row of two on each side. Each having the same symbol he kept seeing everywhere. 

_I don't know..._

"How don't you know? You've taken me here right? To save your friend?" Jack continued on, walking deeper and deeper inside the fog and seeing the birch trees within, searching and looking around to see the fog continuing to thin around him. Suddenly, the fog pushed him out into another area, another location. A forest full of birch trees, mountains and a river. The forest would have looked much more enchantingly beautiful if it weren't for the dozens of boulders, smashed trees, crashed airplanes and smoke trails dominating half of the scenery.

Jack whistled. Blue eyes widened. "What happened _here_?" he jumped down from the rock cliff, seeing debris of metal, iron and cloth all hanging from the rocks and items that connected with the trees. He landed swiftly on the end of a water fall, hearing the pounding of waves behind him crash. Strangely, he hasn't seen any of those patterns on the river water, nor his sister's voice or any other drumming sound. Everything was mostly quiet and calm, except for the rushing waters and the sound of footsteps. There were other people in the forest and the fog only lifted in his personal space. He saw the fog shining a tint of crystal white and blue. Like it was made out of water vapor or ice having contact with the sunlight. But there was no sun here. Jack continued on, walking on top of the river and making no sound as the ice below him formed under his feet. it wasn't really winter here at all, which was an odd thing to notice, but by the look of the trees, it was between spring and summer. The grass was very green, mossy in ways. Flowers of lavender sprouted and butterflies had showed themselves for a visit. He rubbed the back of his neck, seeing Baby Tooth come out of his jacket pocket and hummed towards the lavender flowers. She sung happily with the butterflies as they swarmed around the plants. 

It was very odd indeed, seeing the season change like this that quickly, Winter to Spring doesn't change in a flash. So the fog must've kept the season here, freezing it in time for who knows how long. The North Wind whirled around him and showing the scenery of fresh grass, the wintry white it took as a disguise had now changed to flower petals of different kinds with grass blades. The North Wind went back around to him and hovered about. Jack continued to walk on the river, his hand in his pocket while his other holding his Staff over his shoulder, seeing the very green leaves of the birch flow in silently in his presence. He scanned around as he walked, the fog separating only for him, seeing the sight of trees and the metal debris fallen to the ground. On his left were fallen tree roots, dirt holes, bits of white ash and burned wood, On the other giant rock boulders stuck to the ground, cut off aircraft wings with jets still attached. Some plant vines had encircled and embraced the metal that had rusted. Moss had taken over parts of the boulders and traps were used inside the dirt holes. Thin layers of smoke flew from the ground, unknown of where they originated. 

Baby Tooth had hovered to the Spirit's side when Jack stepped off of the river that had been blocked by even more fallen rocks. His eyes trailed the cliff to see the formation of the rocks, and that the small landslide was created by a bomb. Why he thought it was a bomb gave way to the slim trail of smoke and darker patches of dirt. He then went elsewhere and inspected the moss and vine covered metal wing, seeing the number and the small insignia he knew all too well years ago: a swastika. Jack breathed slowly and stood up, not wanting to touch the already covered and rusted metal, and walked away towards the boulders. Smoothing his hand on the moss boulder, he looked up to see that the fog was covering the whole entire sky. He couldn't see the sky from where he was standing, and if he did fly past this place, it would've been hard to even notice that it existed. The fog wasn't that expansive as other mists and fogs back in North America, so maybe this whole fog had protected the forest from outsiders. He had seen enchanted forests before, back in Canada and the US, not to mention the Amazon forests. There were plenty of beautiful forests in Switzerland, Siberia and all throughout the world. So hiding one in a fog like this didn't make any sense to him. Though depending on the size of this forest, it was _probably_ a big deal.

Jack traced his cold hand onto another body of metal. The giant body of the crashed airplane had exploded and the pilot was no where to been seen. The same number and insignia were covered by dirt: a black and white cross next to a giant 4. He stayed silent and continued on, feeling the North Wind around him. His eyes narrowed, supicion and caution arose in his mind as he walked through this thick spring fog, seeing debris, rocks, loot and old metal machinery. "...When did this happen?" He whispered, thinking that maybe there were still German troops among the forest. He _did_ hear footsteps earlier but now they left his range of hearing. "Almost everything here is covered up and rusting away..." 

_a long time ago_

"1940s?" Jack guessed, brushing away some extra fallen-out-of-place branches and stepped over some handbag and gunmetal. Well, he didn't really need to guess, even after all of this peace and quick changes in surroundings, the winter spirit remembered that time like it was recent. The spirit stopped in his tracks, seeing below him a shadow silhouette of a human body. Jack quickly flicked his hand and a portion of the thick fog vanished. He hastily went to the body and realized it was a German soldier, his arms out in front of him, his face cold and possibly dead from the massive boulder that laid on his legs. "He's dead" Jack blinked, stating the obvious. Though he was more questioned on why there were so many boulders scattered around than a dead German soldier. Jack was about to start searching for more dead men or anything that was still alive until he heard a massive explosion. A massive explosion that was a little to close to him for comfort. 

He jumped back, feeling the earth and fire behind him, and landed on another area of dirt. That area of dirt was also a trigger for another bomb. Jack kept leaping away, his bear feet touching the grass and ground to only trigger more hidden bombs underground. Jack was in a panic as he felt the gunpowder and heat close to his figure. He flew on top of a tree and stayed there, huffing mad. " _Mines_?! How in the ever loving Mani did they put mines here?! How did they sense me?!" He calmed himself by patting his chest lightly, holding onto the tree as support. Watching the mines explode in a chain of events around the destruction that happened years ago. Dirt, metal, flowers and debris were flying everywhere, but to his amazement there was no-one else around except some dead bodies. How long have those mines been inactive? 

Most importantly why were Germans here in the first place? 

He only knew that they expanded throughout Europe, that America joined in, Africa had to deal with them as well, not to mention when he created that snowstorm in fiery to make them stop fighting and make a truce. He hasn't really paid that much attention to world affairs because he is a carefree spirit that doesn't give a damn about world power or governments. Though he had made friends with the politicians, they bore him sometimes. So he never paid attention to them until that time came. Jack rubbed the back of his head, messing up his own white locks and exhaled. Baby Tooth hovered next to him, watching the scene of bombs being activated one by one until it finally ended. "This is nuts...so where's your friend? You said she's in danger right?" He asked the floating flower petals and grass swirling next to him. 

_Yes She is_

"So we just have to continue on in this forest I guess..." Jack jumped from one tree branch to another, in case of falling down to get hit by another surprise explosion. 

* * *

[New South Wales, Australia]

[December 26, 2027]

"Of course...Of course it's snowing in Australia" Bunnymund grumbled, shivering tightly, his paws clenching his arms as he stood on a desert rock. They had traveled through different tunnels to see anything bizarre or anything skeptical about those trolls that rolled into his realm. So far they have traveled to the America's, Africa and the Himalayas to find any other well inhabited place for mythical trolls. Because he _certainly_ wasn't going to keep trolls in his Warren. Pat the leprechaun was with him, his hands in his beige colored pant pockets, the steam from his pipe slivering out in the cold. "For once can Jack _stop_ going around and _ruining_ my days?" "You don't suppose it's just close to Antarctica lad?" "I know it's not that okay? it's Jack again! Look there are those stupid patterns!" Bunnymund pointed to a snowflake pattern that was glowing in a small stream. "Why in the hell did he go here for?" He hopped down the red sand rock and went to the practically frozen stream. Two or three of the same patterns glowed silently under the water. "Hmm...didn't he make it snow in the summer of '19 here?" "And how in the world did _you_ know that?" He shivered and turned his head in annoyance to the Irishman, who didn't seem at all cold since it rains almost everyday. He shrugged "There's a thing called Internet lad, ya should try it sometimes" 

Bunnymund rolled his eyes and knelt down to the glowing patterns under the ice. He just stared at them. Pat, who was now hugging his arms, blinked in confusion at the animal's actions. "What are you doing? Having a staring contest with yourself?" Aster sighed and stood up, looking out at the small lights of a town nearby. "Weird...the drumming was there and now it stopped" "Drummin'? I don't 'ear any drummin'" "No. You heard music flutes or something...is that?" Bunnymund squinted his eyes and hopped closer to see an image of red wings in the distance with a familiar stream of gold sand. 

"Ey looky there that's Cupid! What's he doing over there?" Pat also squinted his eyes and placed a hand over his eyebrows to see things clearer. He saw the caramel colored and tanned angel take out a pink fire arrow. His stance was in a stance of battle and his golden sun eyes stared determinedly at something. His teeth clenched as he shot the arrow while flying with the dream sand around him. Sandy appeared, also fighting with his sand whips, attacking something in the dark. 

Bunnymund and Pat went closer towards the town to finally see what the two were fighting against. Nightmare men. The familiarity of those horrible hollow things returned to the Rabbit, holding spears of lead and darkness. They were in a group of maybe 7-9 and trying to dodge both the fire arrows and the sand whips across the town rooftops. Quickly as they ran, the two of them were finally able to reach the angel and sand spirit. Cupid was already spamming his fire arrows, seeing that they were multiplying somehow. "Cupid! What's going on?" Bunnymund asked, able to reach the red winged fiery thing, who created another pink arrow, aiming at a hollowing Fearling that came out of nowhere. "Ai yai yai!" He shot the lit arrow into the Fearling's sandy chest, which vanished in an instant with the arrow. "It's-it's a long story amigo! I'll tell you later!" He shot two arrows at more fearlings and Nightmare men that were going to attack them both from behind. 

"Show off" Bunny grumbled, taking out his boomerangs and getting ready to fight the horrifying looking nightmare men. 

* * *

Jack continued on Northward, leaping through trees and walking on the grass, dodging the fallen items around the forest. The forest was still surrounded in fog, but he managed to clear parts of the forest if he needed. Even if the fog was made out of ice crystals or whatever, he still couldn't really get rid of the whole entire thing altogether. Since it wasn't really his creation to begin with. It was some other ice magic that he figured out when he tried some more to take the fog away. Jack twirled his staff through the dense fog, his staff glowing to cast light. "This fog is so stubborn, it listened to me some hour ago and now it won't budge beyond my presence" 

_You control ice?_

"Of course I do. I'm the 'Spirit of Winter' they call me. I can make frost from my aura alone" Jack replied to the wind spirit as he decided to sit down on pile of rocks near a cliff that were oddly shaped like trolls. The rocks didn't move or budge when Jack sat on the body of what could be the shoulder. The wind spirit's noise had escalated in excitement as she whirled around him again, causing his hair to swoosh lightly. Jack raised an eyebrow in confusion of the wind spirit's excitement. Of course the wind should know who he was, for crying out loud he was _one_ with the wind and he flies with it! Maybe this wind spirit was a totally different entity who somehow knew who he was? 

_This is excellent!_

_We must go to glaciers!_

"Hold on...glaciers? Like Arctic glaciers? I mean I've been to Antarctica a bunch of times but why a glacier?" the wind spirit stopped from being excited and saw confusion on the white haired spirit's eyes. Did he not know about the myth? Well he said he makes frost, but to save Elsa, she needed another someone who was the same as her. An ice mage or a wizard that knew about magical glaciers as much as she did. When Elsa made that request to find someone, she searched immediately for any other sign of magic out there. Years had past and the fog never lifted and the snowmen she created never melted. She still couldn't find anyone that would help her. Elsa never told her anything about what she does in the Glacier, but she decided to call it home after years of adventuring and practice, not to mention the sudden shift in her family life. She was free after all and she could do whatever she wanted, but the war had caught her off guard and something hurt her. Gale didn't know what had hurt Elsa, but she knew that she was in trouble since she never walked out or rode with Nokk. 

Elsa never came out of Ahtohallan. 

"Why did you lead me to this forest anyway North Wind? If we're going to a glacier?" Gale snapped out of her own thoughts to see the spirit look elsewhere in the foggy and destroyed forest. The flower petals appeared again as her disguise and she moved and twirled around the rock giants that were currently sleeping and maybe a bit weakened below the blue figure. Jack sighed, looking out at the crashed WW 2 airplanes and destroyed dame he could make out some ways below. He could understand that the Germans wanted to expand the territory, to conquer and take over the world, but he knew centuries ago by some textbooks that there were many fights and conquerors that tried doing the same. Well, maybe they were looking for something important, like iron ore or magical stuff he didn't know. He usually wouldn't care about such things, but seeing the earth so destroyed and divided made him...well it made him furious. 

At least in this forest, he didn't have to hear the annoying calls and voices of her sister plus some other strange noises. Oddly the sounds that he heard outside had disappeared once he entered this mysterious forest. Maybe the fog had blocked the headache-inducing sounds and he finally felt some peace of mind in this gloomy place. 

Then he heard human screams, shouts and gunshots. Footsteps coming from behind him and below ways away. The gunshot was far but it echoed in the never ending fog. The human screams were ones of men, troops and...warriors? tribesmen? Jack stood up from the pile of rocks, trying to see far into the fog, and felt the ground underneath him move. He stumbled, placing a grip on the cracks of the rocks as he tried desperately to not scream, seeing the rock head suddenly turn to him. It was a face that looked like a troll, a round nose and the eyes were hard to see through, but they were moving. Blue eyes widened, blinked at the sight of this giant. He was a little doll compared to these things. "Uh...hi there?" The earth giant moved again, hunching itself to get up, and jack gripped harder to the cracks, the end of his staff dug into the earth giant's shoulder. The earth giant didn't feel a thing but kept positioning itself to stand upright. Then the spirit saw more earth giants-about two more- ascended from the river and the ground they were blending in. The earth giants made a groaning noise as they got up from the sounds of men and gunshots. Jack watched, sitting on it's shoulder, them move in giant steps up to the land before them, holding huge boulders in their hands, looking like they were ready to throw them towards the sounds of men. "W-what are you doing?" Jack asked, alittle shaky at the scene, seeing one giant fling the boulder right to where another gunshot was fired. He saw smaller rocks flying through the fog and hitting the giant's bellies. Jack's giant lowered his head to see rocks hitting him, then it flung it's huge arm and flung it's rock into the fog. He felt the winds of the giant's movements almost take him away into what seemed to be a waterfall. Almost. 

"O-kay. You are trying to stop the fighting?" Jack guessed seeing more boulders being flung as they moved through the forest, the green leaves of the trees were like a sea where Jack was positioned. These earth giants were...well giants! They were actual giants! And they were _alive_ fore once! Everywhere he went, he's seen dead faces in the ground, mountains that held faces of humans, hands and other body parts that were stoned. They never moved and now here they're moving in action. It was a scary sight to see, but also logical since these giants were one with the earth and never liked these intruders. Maybe they were the ones that crash landed the planes and pilots? It was more than likely since the fog lifted a bit more as they moved, showing the survivors had almost been crushed. Jack took a look closer to see that the men were indeed German troops, and the other people that were shouting were tribesmen in modern clothing. Still holding old relics and weapons in hand. Two ore three of those tribesmen were dead on the ground, and the remaining troops didn't stop aiming their gun at the giants. They were hoping to take the giants out using a machine gun? 

He saw the bullets aim at them, and to a chilling thought, aiming at _him_ too. He saw their eyes: cold, blank stares. They were colored a yellowish tint and unmoved. Like they weren't in control of themselves and again, Jack shivered. The bullets rimmed through the wind at high speed, one looked like it was coming for him, but it didn't. It just aimed at it's shoulder, but there was no damage, just a stuck piece of metal in between rocks. Jack thought it was a stupid waste of effort until he realized that the bullets were meant to slow the giants down from flinging more rocks at them. 

More bullets were fired and jack swung his staff to freeze them instantly in midair, even more bullets came and he froze those too. The earth giants were confused, the tribesmen were also confused, but the troops kept firing at the giants. Jack continued to freeze the bullets in midair as they fell to the ground. He was getting annoyed at the sight of these men and made a huge, and thick ice block surrounding what little troops were still alive here. 

Everyone-except the troops- were confused at the sight of the thick ice cube that trapped the Germans. They had never seen such a miraculous thing happen in years! Jack, who jumped down to the tribesmen, saw that they too didn't see him. There was disappointment in his eyes, hoping that maybe some spiritual tribe would know that there were entities here. They even dressed like those Sami people and yet they stare away from the white haired man to the ice cube. Jack walked to the ice cube, seeing the soldiers frozen in place, their eyes not moving or blinking, just a blank stare. His eyes narrowed, making him look older than he was, and examined the trapped soldiers. For a few minutes, the unmovable eyes glanced his way. The spirit felt his skin crawl which was odd since he never felt anything like it. He wondered if they actually saw him, but didn't say anything about it. In fact, these soldiers never said anything, never pleaded or shivered inside the cage of thick transparent ice. 

Jack jumped as two suddenly screamed, their eyes yellow eyes widened in horror, their mouths agape as the frost inside the cage were slowly freezing them. But they weren't scared of the crawling frost, they just screamed in agony, pain and terror as they began to chip away at the ice. They tried clawing their way out, shooting bullets up into the air and breaking the ice. The villagers behind him panicked, huddled together with their own ancient weapons as Jack saw the bullets fly past the fog and disappeared into the sky. The ice was cracking before his ice and Jack quickly refroze the whole cage, but before he refroze the ceiling, an extra and hidden bomb had escaped and landed close to the villagers. The bomb exploded near them and a couple of adults had fled from the explosion, but Jack did see a few of them fall to the ground, bruised and possibly dead. 

The villagers screamed this time, seeing more of their comrades die. The villagers that were fighting were just a group of 10 now down to 5, their clothes dirty and they were tired of fighting these men that never left and kept trying to kill them for no reason at all. Jack saw the villagers turn head and ran away into the fog, hoping to not be seen again. The spirit backed away from the thick ice cage, wanting to follow the villagers to see where they were going, but he had to deal with these men. These damn idiotic troops that won't even listen and kept expanding and taking over. He had enough of this nonsense. The wars were over, so why were they still here? Fighting for nothing? Didn't they know that Hitler surrendered? 

He kept layering the ice cage, thicker and thicker, cold like the arctic sea. The coldness of the cage turned more blue, more menacing and more thick. Unable to see the inside, unable to see these screaming robotic men freeze to death in payment. Jack wasn't having any of this, he kept hearing their muffled screams of pure agony and horror. He didn't need to hear them any longer. The pain in their voices echoed in his ears of pure terror. They were terrified and yet they continue to kill like mindless slaves. The troops were no longer visible he could no longer hear them. Everything was silent, and Jack looked down at his bare feet. He closed his eyes, gripping on his staff tightly, his teeth clenched. He turned around from the ice cage to see 4 dead bodies on the ground. Blood spattered, _human_ blood. He would have been in outrage if it was another child on this battlefield, but he was glad there weren't any. 

He would have stabbed those troops with 20 ice daggers in mere seconds if was a child on those grounds. There would be _no_ mercy. 

The wind had picked up, he heard Baby Tooth buzzing around him and North Wind also. He breathed slowly to calm himself. "We should go...take me to the villagers Wind. I want to know how many have remained here" In an instant, she guided him to the villagers. Without knowing that the stronghold of the ice cage was cracking. 

* * *

"Okay!" Cupid huffed, sitting down on a roof of a tall building as the two guardians were sitting with him, relieved that that battle was finally over and the sun was rising again for a new day. "We're all alright? No bruises of the sorts?" He checked the guardians who were sitting next to him, also tired of the battle. Bunnymund leaned back, staring at the newly blue sky. "Yeah mate. Couldn't be any better than to see old enemies. Care to tell?" He stated sarcastically as his head turned to both of the spirits. Sandy was already making signs and symbols over his head in phrases in a very quick speed. Emerald eyes shifted to golden ones. "Got anything Lovebird?" 

"Don't call me that" Cupid crossed his arms "i was on my way here since, you know for my job. Sandy was here too for his job and then out of nowhere he heard screaming. Horrible, horrible screaming from adults and children alike. We checked every window to see that...black ghosts showed up over their heads and they suddenly came after us. Sandy told me they were nightmare men. But I did see something lurk in the shadows. Glowing yellow eyes, shifting sands and it disappeared before I could use firelight on it" 

Bunny's eyes widened, looking away from the angel and out into the snowy desert. "That couldn't....could it?" "Could what lad?" Pat asked, who sat on Bunny's left side of the roof. "Pitch. Could it be Pitch?" Sandy placed a question mark over his head. Cupid shook his head and shrugged. "Even if I burned them with my arrows, I still wouldn't know what that was. It shifts way too quickly, but it never made a sound or laugh like Pitch does" Aster placed his thumb under his chin, thinking with his eyes to the snowy ground. 

If it wasn't really Pitch, the lord of those nightmare men and fearlings, then...what was it exactly?

Cupid stood up from the roof tiles, looking up at the dawned sky. "We should go, I see the northern lights from here" He pointed to a small sliver of a green magical trail in the sky. "How can you see from that far?" Pat asked, astounded by this angel's eyesight. "North signals them for help right?" Cupid turned his golden sun eyes back to the Hare, who raised an eyebrow at him. "Yeah, and you think you're comin' with us? You ain't a guardian mate" Bunnymund stood up as well, taller than the caramel blonde haired being. "For children, no I'm not. But sometimes I wish I was. I would love to see North's workshop and your Warren sometimes" Cupid smirked, the sunlight sparkling into the angel's equally colored eyes. 

Crap. The Warren was left unattended and the trolls probably made more of a mess after he left. Aster broke contact with the fiery angel, closing his eyes and rubbing his eyebrows. He sighed. "I forgot about those guys..." "Who?" Cupid tilted his head like a bird, curious and questioned. He never heard of Bunnymund having visitors since some eons ago. "Some stupid trolls from Scandinavia. See you at the shop Sandy" He grumbled, thumping a hole on the tiled roof and jumped in, not before taking Pat by the collar and dragging him down into the tunnel. 

* * *

Jack was close to the village, able to make out tiki tents in the distance, separating the fog as much as he could to get a closer look. Only about 5 tents, all circling around a campfire and pot of some sort. The Sami tribesmen who came back to this small village held an expression of sadness and fear, what remained of the warriors were only a few and each had went into their tents. Some had gone out of their tents in question and wonder to see only half of them had survived. Jack saw the children come out of the tents, unaware the sad expressions on their faces. The children stopped in their tracks, watching the warriors sit down in a circle by the campfire, and looked at each other, wondering if they should comfort the warriors. Jack watched the 4 children. They looked like toddlers to him, so new and young looking. So innocent yet the only type of hope that lingered in this lost tribe. He smiled bittersweet at the children, wondering if they knew about the wars that happened and what was trapped here. Maybe they did and chose to have a sense of hope that it would be over. 

One black haired child walked over to the bruised and sorrowful men, sitting down with them. "There are less of you now..." He looked around the small group of men, panic in his eyes. Jack knew those eyes. "Where's dad? Is...is he?" The men didn't look at the boy, only at the campfire. "Is he okay? Don't tell me he got..." The boy shut his mouth, looking down at the spring grass. The freshly spring grass didn't make anyone feel happy, or hope of a new day, since the days trapped in here didn't spark any hope. They just sparked more fear and sorrow in the villager's eyes. 

Jack wanted to rush towards the boy, make a happy little snowman, throw a snowball, make a show, anything! Anything to not see him cry. "Oh please. Please don't cry" He said aloud, yet no-one heard him or saw him in the village. He was just another chilling ghost in them and he didn't no why. He just didn't want these children or these people to be so miserable. 

He heard footsteps and bushes being moved. Women of young and old had come out with baskets of berries and more edible plants. At least they somehow weren't caught by those troops. As they went back into their tents, preparing food and whatnot, one women saw the boy with the warriors and walked over to him. She placed her hand on the boy's head. "Come now, we need go and prepare for dinner" The boy sighed, stood up and walked back with the women into the tent. Jack followed the little boy and the women, glancing back one last time at the mournful warriors before arriving at his tiki tent. The women walked inside, but the boy decided to stay out for he saw a floating snowman formed from ice. It was flying on it's own, trails of snowflakes fell to the ground. The boy gazed at it and he saw the snowman smile at him, waving towards him. The snowfall underneath the snowman piled into a thump of snow. 

The boy giggled, his sorrow was replaced with joy the instant the snowman landed in his hands. It was small miniature statue of Olaf, who waved and his ice carrot nose stood out to him, touching the boy's nose like a nip. "A snowman!" "What are you talking about? A snowman in spring?" He heard his an elderly women in the tent, it was bigger than the rest of the tents. The elderly walked out into the grass to see piles of snow on the ground and a snowman in the boy's hand. His gray eyes shining at the sight of this glitter of hope. Yet the Elderly women- the chieftan- didn't look pleased to see snow. It had been years, 84 to precise, that the curse had started again right when those troops came in and never left. She didn't know that the war had ended since this fog never lifted. It was more of an eternal spring than it was winter, never changing. Like the fog demanded that it stayed this way. Though a lot of villagers never really mind the eternal spring in the forest, there was still a calendar and a telling when days and years had past. They were the Northudra, the people of the sun, they know when the sun sleeps and wakes up again. They knew how long the nights were and what hours they set, using modern technology as an advancement. 

So seeing snow for the first time had irked her. She was wary again, and held negative thoughts since that time with the soldiers. Thankfully they never got the village in those 80 years, the fog made them hidden and unable to reach, but a certain wind spirit knew where they were all the time. "A snowman showed up in my hand! It looks so cute!" He held it out to her as the mini Olaf waved. "Where did you get that?" The boy shrugged, he didn't know either. It just hovered in the air. 

Jack meanwhile was floating in the air, his legs crossed as he looked at the elderly women holding a stick and wearing traditional Sami clothing. She didn't look happy, or impressed at the little ice snowman. But there was a glimpse he saw in her eyes of hope, desperation and betrayal. She sighed and turned around to walk back into her tent. The little boy followed and so did Jack. 

As they got inside, he saw that it was warm, cozy even with skins and woods and other carvings of the Sami tribe. What stood out to him was a drum hung to a wall drawn with symbols and figures. A drawn diamond was in the middle of it. He went towards the part of the tent wall as he watched them sit down cross legged. The women was with them and they both started talking ways away while the child was playing with the snowman in his palms, not wanting to hear the conversation. 

"...Do you think it's her?" The women asked, crushing berries into a bowl, knowing that the sight of snow and ice meant that she was near. "That she finally came back? She will finally help us in driving those men away?" The Chieftain closed her eyes and shook her head. "Why would she come back to us? Why _wouldn't_ she come back to us? She left us here, cursed this forest and never came back. I have doubts. We shouldn't trust her anymore" "And why's that?" The women crushed the berries harder. "Don't you think she didn't mean to make the fog again? She was trying to protect-" "She _betrayed_ us!" Both child and women winced. Jack as well from the sudden shift in tone, but he was curious of this 'She' person. 

He saw the child stood up with the snowman and walked out into the grass, seeing the warriors and other children play with the piles of snow on the ground. That would be some type of bright distraction for whatever was happening in the tent. Jack wanted to follow his lead, but the next lines in conversation made him stop half way out the tent. 

"...even if she is the bridge, the fifth spirit of this forest...it's been too long to have this much hope for her to save us. I have tried, countless times to communicate with her, but she goes as she pleases and...Ahtohallan..." Ahtohallan? Was it a place? Jack turned back and stood before the two adults in the tent, waiting for more. "This fog gets denser as time passes, and I know I can't reach her. The sea waters are dangerous to get to, I'm too old to go adventuring out to find her" The woman stopped beating the berries, which was now more of a liquid soup, and poured it into a bowl. "She managed to do one thing: protect the forest by using this fog from those things" 

"She should have killed those men when she was still here. After....what happened to my son" The elder wrapped her hands around her arms. "But she did! She froze most of them in places and the rocks crushed them. The spirits were helping her and..." "I saw her run away Aida, to the sea and they were following her" Aida nodded like she heard the truth before years ago. The men had followed her towards the Dark Sea, but they stopped in place by the water and she kept going, never looking back. Her father saw it too and went back to the village to tell them the news. 

"I know the story..." True she did, and she should have felt the same bitterness and hurt that the chieftain felt all those years. That Elsa left them trapped them with the enemy, those monster men with such cold hearts, expanding themselves in this forest like a battlefield. Yet the fifth spirit's action probably saved them from being killed and tried to drive them away from the forest. Well that's what she had always thought, and she was grateful of what she did. Though now the men had forgotten about her and chose to stay since they couldn't get in or out of the forest, they couldn't cross the sea either since it was still so destructive. Aida stood up "I better go and get Edo, he needs to help in making dinner for the others" and walked out of the tent. 

Now Jack was left with the old chieftain, still in her stubborn and bitter ways, in the tent and watching her own bowl of mashed berries before her reflect her wrinkled look. She sighed gruffly. He obviously felt bad for her and her people, that they were stuck here for decades, haunted by war induced men and death. He obviously knew how that felt, and it gave him an odd sense of familiarity as he watched the traditions of the Sami tribes in this massive tent. He turned around to scan more his surroundings of the many clothes, patterns of Norse runes, paintings, wooden instruments and a table in the center. 

"You've been here all your life...just here. It's comfortable. I like it. People are quite stubborn. Like the earth. Changeable like the wind. Passionate like fire and emotional as water. Humans can be that dangerous.... Maybe this fifth spirit didn't mean to leave you behind" Jack huffed, his arms crossed as he stood next to the Chieftain. "I mean...I know one who wouldn't on purpose...they would feel sorry for leaving them behind" He glanced away. "If it helps, I was kind of an idiot to not know this place existed before. I hated the war as much as everyone else. It just happened all of a sudden. So...if I was in her place? I would have done the same. Probably ice them up, cage them, spike them, throw them in the sea, freeze their hearts-" Jack stopped himself and shook his head. "Wow that got dark real quick...But *sigh* What I'm trying to say is: She's trying and...maybe she hasn't forgotten about you. She could have been trapped somewhere! I just...have this feeling she's still there. Still alive..." Jack clenched the memory box inside his hoodie pocket. "...You just have to believe"

"You really think so?" the elderly women widened her eyes and stared at the blue capes and white haired man next to her. 

"GAH!" Jack jumped and landed on a dresser, fear and panic were in his eyes as the elderly women waited patiently for an answer. Jack was _not_ expecting her to see him, but now here she was, in all her old and wrinkly wise glory. Her dark brown eyes staring at his. "Uh..." He cleared his throat, looking away at the drum on display before gently standing next to her. "Y-yeah! I really do! I mean...I could be wrong or something, just trying to get your hopes up since it's been so long and-haha!" Jack rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. He was just talking to himself, _hoping_ he was just talking to himself and no-one else. "But uh...how can you see me?" He pointed to himself as he desperately waited for an answer. 

The elder looked down to her untouched bowl. "Easy. You're a spirit. You're not from here I notice that. The fog had been thinning rapidly for a couple hours now. I had a sliver of relief, joy and hope that she had finally returned to us" She reached her bow and began to drink. "Even a deep rage after 20 years of this chaos. We Northudra are one with the spirits of nature, that includes the forest. But I feel that the forest is hurting tremendously as the years past. Blood has been shed and plains destroyed. Mountains explored and crumbled. Trees tumble and burn with machine fires...so many things" She slurped again. "We..can't do anything really...we are only human. We make contact with the spirits around us to stop this, but they can only do what they can. The fog was a curse for my ancestors, and now it happens again for my generation" She placed her half empty bowl down to the floor. 

Jack stayed quiet, leaning against the tent tapestries of the tribe on the wall. Still gripping Elsa's memory box in hand. "I even thought she had came to us, but all I saw was you there, floating in the air, and that's why I said what I said...she maybe be in trouble, but there was no contact from her. My great grandmother met her and told her all about communicating with other spirits, about the traditions of the natives. My grandmother taught her a lot of things that I can't remember well. But there was one: Ahtohallan. The glacier that shows the past and memories of anyone who visits it. But it's too cold and too dangerous to go" 

"...are you the only one who could see spirits? Cause the warriors didn't see me, nor the children here" "Yes. I'm afraid. Belief is strange type of magic, but it's hard to come by in these trying times. Spiritual energy is mostly invisible to us, but my people know that you spirits exist. We just can't see them, but we sense them nearby" She stood up slowly, her old and aging body walking past him towards the detailed drum hanging on the wall. He saw try to take it down from it's high placement, but her arms would not reach high enough. "Oh. Let me help you" Jack went over to the drum and easily took if off from the hook in the wall. He handed the drum to her, who smiled with all her wrinkles warmly. 

"My...you're a tall spirit, and quite the handsome one. Thank you" "Uh..you're welcome" He beamed his white teeth to the elder, who walked back to her floor mat and sat down. 

Jack followed her back and sat down in front of her, the drum in the middle of the two. "This is a magical drum, the drum of a shaman in our culture. This drum is used as an instrument for divination. Once hit in a rhythm by the Noaidi, they go into a dream like state at will. Their soul leaves the body and flies around as a spirit, shifting into different animals or hide in many places while in that state..." She stopped, looking at the drum before her. Jack raised an eyebrow, glancing up at her and waiting for her to continue. "Is it like..astral projection? Since you know, when you go to sleep and your soul or something sees the outside world? Wake up and explain what just happened around you five minutes ago from a dream?" Jack thought, remembering what Sandy shown him in one those old books. 

"Something like that..." "Why are you telling me this? Does it have something to do with me? Because I can happily explain my existence" He gestured to himself. "No, no... I don't mind spirit but, I fear that maybe she is, well, in that same state. That is my only guess and hope that she returns. I do know that you have control over ice, and you might stop this battle, but this fog was her doing. All I ask spirit, is that you bring her back to us. We can't stay here for very long under this fog" Jack rubbed his chin and stared at the drum. If what she said was true, that this fifth spirit had entered a dream state and left her physical body, then she could be anywhere around the world, invisible or otherwise. Meaning he _could_ have seen her before, but there were so many things to explore. 

"I'm afraid" Jack looked back up to the chieftain from his thought process. "That she lost herself somewhere" Brown eyes stared into snowflake blue. Jack bit his lip "I'm sorry I didn't come here any sooner" He didn't know why he apologized since it wasn't his fault to begin with, but he felt like if he did, he would've helped this part of the continent. He would've known she had existed, but that was her battle and she did her job. He and the guardians had their job to protect the children. He is Jack Frost. And that is all he's ever known to be. 

"But...does she have a name?" The elder nodded "Yes. Elsa" 

Jack gripped the memory box tighter in his hand. 

_She's alive_


	10. Cold and Dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack helps the Northudra, Nokk meets an unlikely foe.

The sound of Sami children playing near the rock giants were heard from the tribesmen. The older men who had checked on them smiled down to their young ones to finally see them play with the earth giants. Though what was strange were that the earth giants being covered in ice and frost. Their angered demeanor was relaxed by a more pleasing and happier one. The older men scratched their heads in concern. They never seen, in their short human life span, the earth giants be so...pleased and joyful before. They watched the children as they sat on the river, children in their huge palms building snowmen and snowballs. 

The children laughed as the leaves and flowers twirled about them, also very delighted to finally see more happiness coming from the smaller villagers. Piles of snow were forming out of thin air, scaring the older men a bit, and settled on the huge hands and fingers lightly. Some snow had fallen into the water and melted quickly from the spring atmosphere. Though there was no sun, or sunlight shining down into the fog, the snow would melt ever so quickly. Yet these piles of snow held a trace of a light blue sparkle. There was magic in the snow and the Sami children created snowballs out of that snow to only get hit by a ball of fun magic. 

Of course the enemy is still out there, either digging mines or targeting whatever moved. They were trapped with those old troops and the villagers wondered how long they can keep any of this up. To fight, kill and slaughter. See their men die before their very eyes, hear their blood curdling screams as if in a nightmare. They'd desperately wished, prayed and called for the spirits that resided here to give them a sign. Anything that would save them and set them free. Finally take their enemy to the grave. Apologize to Mother Nature of what happened. Maybe, to them, it was a fate more powerful that the spirits couldn't control. 

They immediately thought that is was her, the fifth spirit's fault. She was the one that cursed this place again, never returning for some frustratingly strange reason. Of course this tribe had the defenses to protect themselves, to fight back and use any weapon they would use. But the metal weaponry their enemy used was too much for them to handle. Dead from a small piece of steel to the chest? Killed by a metal ball that would explode once contacted to the ground? Aircraft that carried men of suits and machinery around them to only do harm? A huge iron cannon that held a force equal to the Earth Giant's boulders? Men that screamed in bloody murder? 

The spirits of the forest were tough. The Northuldra respected them as a powerful and dangerous force, but they were somehow no match for these advanced military machines. Mostly the Earth Giants would take them on. They were the only ones to kill those men and their machines of metal destruction. The fog had helped, or made things worse. Yet they were glad that only a few had survived, but this forest was vast and the fog gave an unknown and eerie presence. A scary one indeed. There was no telling if more had survived while the years had past. German troops were no more human than mind slaved machines, still there and still harming the forest. They never spoke or calmed themselves to speak. Their leader was killed. Their commander was lost and forgotten in the forest. Only about 10 or 12 had survived out of dozens of men that stormed their way in here. 

They again had asked in prayer through the thick fog to the spirits that could still exist to find a sign, maybe a helping hand or a miracle to stop this decade aged war that had ended unknowingly from the outside. Everyone was at peace out there, but still a battlefield in here. One man had questioned the chieftain years ago about the fog reappearing, that it was once a curse because of the slaughter and fighting between royalty and natives. 

"But it wasn't our fault" he had said "it was them! They struck first! Why did we get the blame as well as them? They are our enemy! They are not one with nature! They were trying kill us and for what? Gold? Magic? Our spirituality?" The chieftain had stayed silent in their conversation for a few minutes. Then he spoke. "Fear. The first curse was from fear. Betrayal of our trust in them. We had trusted them, but that was put to the test. The spirits drove most of the men out, and let us be trapped here for 34 years. But now?" He took a breathe. "...It comes back again, with the agreement of all the spirits, for good reason. The last chieftain told me that those men were not here to trade or make a truce. They were here to conquer, expand, make a war on purpose. Were they going to make an agreement? I didn't see it in their eyes. And I don't see it now. She was protecting us. But i cannot make contact with her. Please. We all must pray to the High Spirit" 

The old man who had conversed with the last chieftain, who died 20 years back, was now looking at the frosty Earth Giants as they felt pleased in this unknown spirits presence. Was _this_ the answer they had prayed for so long? An invisible entity that creates snow? Trap its enemies in a cage of a frozen death? He gripped his sleeve in rage. 

Then _why_? Why such a long delay for a sign such as this? The Northuldra held calendars, they could tell when it is night or day. They counted in their own terms. 13 lunar months, every full moon as they wished to Mannu for a sign. They wished on the dim light of the sun as well. Nothing came but only death and destruction. They had waited. They had heard the spirit's anger and fear around them. They had felt mother nature moan and grown in pain. He wondered if this was Mother Nature's doing instead. But what had she accomplished? What was the hope she held to make this forest disappear in a cloud of ice and water vapor? To trap them there? To figure it out on their own? Hoping no other back up would follow them into the forest and kill them all? Even the chieftain didn't know what was their original plan, for those dead troops never spoke of such a reason. 

The older man clenched his teeth, seeing the children laugh and play around. Smiling at each other and creating together in the magic of snow in spring. Was this just another test? A test from mother nature herself? 

A test for the Northuldra? Or a test for a wandering spirit? 

The old man watched as one giant lowered its hand down towards the ground, two kids jumped down with...ice sculptures in their hand and ran to their respected fathers, showing them their art with such a joy and hope in their eyes that this old man never seen in such a while. It gave him hope and reason to keep on fighting for them, not only him but for his tribe. These children needed to stay alive to see the sky and stars again for a very long time. His anger and frustration subsided at the sight of them smiling so brightly. Whoever this spirit was, this last bits of a hope and prayer, he wanted to thank it for giving them fun in their woeful lives. 

"A wandering spirit?" The old man asked to the current chieftain, an elderly women who held such a kind face. She nodded, drinking her bowl of soup. "Yes. He has come. I too thought he was the fifth spirit at first, but I was stunned at the fact he was...a soul of nature" "A soul? So this spirit is...humanoid? Like the fifth?" She nodded again. "Yes. But...he is not like her at all. He died to become this way" the old man widened his eyes. "...A disembodied soul? How can a disembodied soul wield such a power as the fifth?" The elderly chieftain shrugged, looking to the egg shaped drum on the wall. 

"I don't know. Maybe he was chosen to grant such a power by the High Spirit itself. Though *chuckle* he says he is a 'Guardian of fun! He controls the winter weather. A dangerous force indeed" she drank her soup with an amused smile. "He has quite the personality hm hm" 

The old man looked down to his lap. Confused. How can winter be fun? The winter weather here is dangerous as it could ever be. If he really does control the ice, snow and what have you, then why isn't he vanishing this fog? 

"I sense your troubled mind. You are not alone in thinking this. He came in such a delay. She never came back" "why?! I've been fighting those horrible possessed men. Asking the spirits to help us. To help them from going down that path. But...they didn't _listen_ to me! To us! Are we just that _unlucky_?" "Please calm yourself. He is the sign we've been waiting for. Be glad he finally showed himself to us" The old man grumbled and then exhaled. 

"But at what price?" 

"A price to fix this mess once and for all. The war is already over. Those poor soldiers eyes are the work of _that_ monster. You must trust him- no- you must _believe_ in him to set things right" 

The old man walked forward, closer to the rock giants that were joyfully watching the children. He couldn't see him since he is a spirit, but he knew he was there. The standout of the chilling wind in the warm spring air told him. "Spirit!" The men and kids stopped at what they were doing to look curiously at the old man. 

"If you are there. Please. Give me a sign" he scanned his blue eyes around the rocks and snow piles. It only took a minute for the grass before him to frost over. The frosty ferns and ice had expanded and separated in three spirals, which were all going towards him. They stopped in their tracks, reaching the old man. An icicle appeared before him. It looked threatening, but the tip of the icicle formed itself into a kind looking fairy with wings, holding a flower in hand. He stared at the magical sight before. Never in his life has seen such an art. He tilted his head questionably. Thinking maybe this was the spirit? No. This was his art, his creation. The chieftain said he is humanoid but is unseen. 

"Is this who you are? A fairy?" The ice fairy suddenly melted and another sculpture appeared in place. It was an elf, but more human and he held crooked staff. "The...chieftain said you were our sign of hope to stop this madness of a war. My question is why haven't you come any sooner? Years and years of waiting and prayer to the High Spirit and to the moon... finally you come now?" 

The old man closed his eyes. He had been desperate for a miracle. And now here he is. The whole forest's hope in his hands. "He is a dangerous and a powerful force". The chieftain had told him. "But he is very joyful and kindhearted spirit. Be on his good side. _Believe_ in him for you will see him" 

"...I am old. I know that much. I have fought wars. This war has gone way too long for me to bare. I am a stubborn Northudrain. I have asked them countless times. I had believed and hope that you would appear. Yet you nor her had ever came for our aid. I thought I was convincing myself that: no one would come for us. I had lost that hope but now you tell us to _believe_ again" For most of the villagers around him, they were stunned but understood the sobbing and pleading. The old man's tears fell silently down his cheek. "How do you help us? How do i _see_ you?" 

A few moment later. A burning cold finger caressed his old wrinkled face. Catching the tear into his thumb and it instantly turned to ice. The old man opened his eyes in a gasp. 

"You know, it takes a while for the moon to answer. He can pretty late sometimes" 

There in front of him stood a handsome young man with white snow hair and blue eyes. A sympathetic yet warm smile on his face. He held the same crook in his hand and wore a cape. The old man stared bewildered and yet there was a sense of relief. He continued. "Oh...save us. Please Spirit of winter. You must take this curse away. It's taken so many lives. They are monsters to us all". Jack watched as the old man in the group fell to his knees, his head still lowered. "I...I should hate you, be so angered to not trust the signs anymore...but. I'm too tired to keep fighting like this" He sighed. The winter spirit saw the others looking at the old man like he was crazy. But they saw the ice for themselves and had believed that this new sign had finally appeared. Then they gasp, suddenly being hit in their face with blue snow, and saw the winter spirit appearing before them from head to toe. He held a magical snowball in his hand, glancing at the other tribesmen with a grin. "So you finally see me" 

Jack, the winter spirit, had noticed that this old man was begging in his old age for a sign. That he and others that were trapped here had lost and gripped onto what so little hope and faith they had. At first Jack was conflicted, confused as well if he would help such adults to bring their faith back. He was of guardian of children, or childhood, but he's noticed that these men wanted to believe as much as the children did. For years he had never really liked adults, loosing their believe of childhood stories, starting misunderstandings and are so easily distracted by their so called 'life'. He never liked being an adult, but there was always that state of maturity somewhere in his mind, in his actions. "There is a man in every boy" North stated to him once in the library "And a boy's memory in every man". 

Was he a man? Not much a child anymore? A man can still be a boy if he wanted. He creates joy and protects all of the children, making sure they were happy and in eternal innocence, but as they grew up, he would vanish as a child's memory long forgotten. Seeing these grown men _see_ him made him think that they still held their hope and childhood dreams. That they missed their own childhood. Jack huffed. 

This battle had gone on long enough. 

Out of nowhere, there was a scream, two more screaming from thick fog on their left. Gun shots were fired and heard. Everyone stared at the direction of the sounds. More gunfire, a small shadow revealed itself to be a golden bullet heading straight for the old man. The old man closed his eyes, heady to face his death from living a life of utter chaos and destruction. He was ready to see the dead souls that awaited him in the unknown. 

The bullet was quick, but not as quick as the frost that encased it. The bullet fell to ground. The old man opened his eyes again from the screaming of both his tribe and the enemy. He saw the blue clad spirit in front of him, created an ice wall and pushed it as much as he could towards the enemy. He removed a part of the fog to show about 6 troops that were screaming and shooting. 

The tribesmen and children hid and ran back to the village. Not wanting to deal with the enemy since now they placed their faith in this spirit's hands. The Earth Giants that were relaxed and enjoying themselves by the river stood up. The frost and ice the covered them lightly were glowing blue, almost the same hue as the magic held within it. The old man stared at the giants, expecting them to get their boulders and sling them to the ground, but they didn't move. They raised their arms halfway up with the rocks in hand before they strangely stopped. They never stopped before like that. "Run old man! Go back to the village and hide!" Said man stood himself up, with the help of an odd hummingbird fairy, and hastily left the scene with the help of the wind. 

Jack was left with the 6 troops that he noticed broke free from his ice cage. He made sure that cage was a thick as he could make it, but to his surprise, they broke free and were now aiming their guns at him. The voices had died down, but they were still in the expression of screaming. Their eyes still wide in terror, as if seeing him was a horror come to life. He froze the bullets as quickly as they came out, and as quickly as he could, he tapped each solder's body to freeze them before they could continue to pull the triggers. Each troop had been covered in his frost, the ice creeping and expanding though out their bodies. Jack stood before them, his eyes locked on their own glassy eyes. He had enough of them. In the back of his mind hie didn't want to be apart of this chaos, but now that villagers were relying on him to set things right, and he damn well had enough of them to even let them live. Jack raised his staff, ice daggers and cones appeared from the fog's own ice crystals. About 20 daggers surrounded them all, ready to pierce their worn out bodies. The spirit breathed, staring right at one German solider. "I never wanted to be apart of this mess. This mess you adults make. It's ridiculously stupid. Wasting her young lives away like this, forced to be like out of what? Power? Hope? Well I had hope. I held my own belief of you things. Yet you _broke_ that hope. Maybe i should _brake_ you instead" Jack's words were dripping with ice, slammed the staff down and let the ice daggers pierce every skin and cloth that was shown. 

The ice magic that was held in those daggers crept into their skin, freezing everything inside them. They were no more than dead statues to him. The ice cage didn't work, but freezing them from the inside was the only way, beside throwing them in the sea. They needed to die. It was better to die then live in whatever nightmare for years. Jack turned away from the statues, only to hear the sound of ice shattering behind him. He turned around to see a huge boulder had been thrown to end them all. It was a deadly fate, but he wouldn't want to save a life like that. Jack looked up to see the Earth giants, covered in a slick sheet of frost and ice, finally move away from the riverside and onto land. He wondered if those earth giants could see him too. He flew up to one, and it responded by moving it's head to stare him, it's jolly smile coming back at the sight of the winter spirit. "So...you can see me too..." The earth giant responded with a nod. "Oh...do you like your coating? I made sure it wouldn't freeze you" He poked the earth giant's forehead with the tip of his staff, a flurry of snowflakes appeared in front of their eyes. The giant's smiled a little more. "They're gone for good, so I'm on your side....but I think they're still more out there...somewhere. We can split up and find them?" Jack hovered over the three giants. He was so small compared to them. The giant's nodded slowly once again, and started to make their move like they always do. 

Baby Tooth appeared, perching herself on the dark blue cape of the spirit. "Great...Let's go Baby Tooth. My job here isn't finished. After all of this is settled, We'll go to that glacier" Jack flew into the fog. 

* * *

{Svalbard, Ahtohallan] 

The waves of the dark sea were still dangerous, still violent and still thrashing about. Nokk was under the ocean, swimming about, watching the light of the moon shine through in the darkest of the water. He was still waiting, after all of these years he was still waiting for a call, a sign like the Northudra wanted. Elsa was no where but in there, that frozen river turned to glacier. There were still so many things that were unknown to her, to this new Fifth spirit named Elsa. She never grew older than the age she found her purpose. True that spirits can last for more than a lifetime, Nokk knew that, but he knew that she was human as well. Humans disappear and stop living after 100. They come and go as fate intended, he had no fate. Nokk was simply born into existence before humans had found him, before they had befriended him. So as the other spirits of nature. He didn't see these mythical spirits as his allies, more or so strangers to him. Water is the most powerful, most useful for life, more deadly and certainly everywhere in this realm. Nokk had basked under the moonlight ever so often, as well as the sunlight, but in these seasons in the north, the moonlight was all there was in the freezing waters of his home. The water spirit, while swimming about, encountered plenty of underwater creatures. Monsters of legends, hybrids, reptiles such as whales, giant serpents and mermaids. He would usually swim about the Baltic, the Norwegian sea, and the Atlantic when he wanted. Well, when Elsa wanted to go there that is. She was his ally and companion, he would instantly understand when she needed him. 

Though now, as he basked into the moonlight, he wasn't getting anything from her. Every moonlight he counted, every sun circle he saw, he waited. After the ships and those solders, those boats that withstood his waves, he wondered what happened to the human spirit. She was there, riding on his back, breathing rapidly and feeling herself getting weaker. Not to mention she almost fell asleep when she rode to that glacier. There indeed was something wrong with her, well her human part of her. He remembered, centuries ago after the ice age, that glacier held a magical presence from another time and another place. There was spirit inside that glacier, that spirit seperated itself, held power and made the glacier it's home. Now it was in ruins, frozen underneath rocks, snow and permafrost. Ahtohallan was something before it became a chamber of memories. Though no-one in the world knew what it was besides the Vikings, but they died out years ago like everyone else. 

The spirit that lived there was now gone. Replaced with a new one, a light blonde girl named Elsa, to fix the mess of a past. Though that past was just the tip of the glacier. There were more secrets hidden in that thing, and Nokk had sworn to protect it, to challenge the newcomers that want to see this magical realm underwater. That was what he agreed with the ancient ice spirit, it is the same with this one. So the seas were still high. He waited for a call from his white dressed ally, but after 84 years, she still didn't ask for him. The glacier was deep, very deep under water, and he knew the bottom was stronger than the top. He swam underneath the glacier all the time, to see if she would call. There was nothing, and he wondered if she was somewhere else, caught in the magic, lost herself inside of it. 

He wondered if she drowned. 

The moon beams that were alight had shifted underwater suddenly. Taunting him to follow the moonlight. Nokk followed it as the light shifted rapidly, thinking that the moon was playing a game with him, which he never minded at all, until now. The moonlight was shifting underneath the calm waters and shining even brighter, reaching for the darkness underneath the Water Spirit. The horse looked down, seeing this magical moonlight towards the bottom of the sea. He followed deeper, and deeper still until it stopped at a shining warship. The ship was rusted, covered in corals, and ancient. Nokk titled his head to see...something come out of the rusted surface of the warship. A pair of yellow eyes in the dark stared back at him. The eyes moved, then a blacked shadow with it. For a minute he suspected a mermaid of some sort, or a water reptile. The shifting shadow with yellow eyes showed itself in the magical moonlight. It wasn't a reptile, or a mermaid. It was unknown to him, something he never saw before. The black figure with the yellow eyes was glistening like frost, but it wasn't frost at all. It was different, and the black figure shaped itself into a horse. Was it mimicking him? Why was there a living horse in the water? Nokk moved closer still, hesitant, eyes squinted to see the shadow horse a little more. 

Then the shadow moved as quickly as he would, into the moonlight it swam and came face to face with the Water Spirit. Yellow eyes, a horse's body shining in black and frosted blue...sand? No, it wasn't sand at all. It looked like it was part of the shadows, apart of the dark. The shadow horse neighed aggressively towards Nokk, and it suddenly started to attack him. A battle began under the Dark Sea. 

* * *

"Thank you...thank you!" Jack blinked, seeing the old Sami man bowing in front of him with the rest of the remaining Sami warriors. He was at their village, near the campfire and playing with the kids. "Y-you don't have to bow..." He waved his hands to them, gesturing them to stop bowing. It was so strange of what they were doing. "Thank you for saving me and our children. Winter Spirit" The old man stood up finally. The fog was separating some more, thinning to reveal most of the scenery, but not everything. "I'm sorry that I...that we doubted you" Jack glanced away "Yeah? Well, I got used to it. You still believe in the sun when the flog blocks it out?" The old man nodded. "Yes. Of course. There will always be a sun, and there will always be a moon" "Then there will always be me...even if I'm not really...believed in" Jack huffed, finally sitting down by the fireplace with as the warriors had left him alone to do other things. He was left with the old man and Baby Tooth by the tin pot. 

There was a silence between them, Jack staring underneath the pot full of food as the fire had dimmed underneath. The old man taking a spoon and pouring soup for himself. Jack just continued to stare into the fire. "I...was told by the chieftain that..." Blue eyes turned his gaze from the fire to the old man, who began to eat. "...you're a disembodied soul, wandering around this realm. Saying you're a guardian of children" He chuckled. "A...disembodied soul? Never heard of that before" Jack blinked back into the dimming fire. "Ever heard of reincarnation?" 

Jack nodded, remembering one time when he looked into North's library- which was huge by the way- and just read a random book on reincarnation for fun. He didn't realize reading books were actually fun. "I read something about it....after death, your soul or something comes back to earth centuries later as another person. It was in some religion book" He shrugged, not taking his eyes off of the fire. "I don't know why North keeps books like that" he mumbled, making sure the old man didn't hear him. He was glad the old man didn't, he was too busy eating his soup and staring at the kids playing with a giant snowball. 

"You're right about that part. A soul can come back from the dead lesser than a century. Probably after months or even years later without anyone's knowledge" "...what about a day?" The old man hummed, thinking. "Maybe so...though that happens only in family: when a baby is born right after the grandfather dies" "That's kinda weird" Jack glanced at Baby Tooth, who shrugged. "Haha! It's not weird at all! It happens more likely than anyone thinks! Spirits are unseen by the human eyes..." The two continued in their silence, the old man continued to eat from the bowl, he was looking at the spirit who was still staring at the fire in deep thought. The old man gently laid his bowl onto his lap. "I see you don't eat much" Jack smirked, his eyes closed "I'm not able to eat" "Have you ever eaten anything before?" The young spirit said nothing, then shook his head. "Once I ate a whole fruit cake from a dare, it didn't taste that good, I stole some bread once, ate that, but I didn't feel the need to eat. I wondered why I couldn't eat. Possibly the same reason no one saw me for a long time" He lowered his shoulders, relaxing in the company of the old man. 

There was another silence. "...I'm sorry...I didn't know you were trapped here" "It's alright. The world is large, and we're quite the small ones here. I'm sure there are plenty of other tribes and families going through worse hardship. we did ask mother nature for that sign of a savior, and you came to us. I'm glad that you did" The warmth of his elderly smile was no match for the dim of the fire underneath the pot. They were all relieved by the news finally, and the fog had grown thinner after all the years. He and the Earth Giants did their best to find more trapped soldiers. It was apparently okay for Mother Nature to let them die off as they should. Still, the fog wasn't his doing at all. It was Elsa's. There was this gut feeling that maybe this girl was in danger. He's only seen her pictures and her memories, but never knowing who she truly was. She didn't want to hurt anyone, her parents died, she had the same- almost the same powers as him. He only saw this girl once - _once_ \- in 300 years of living, and it baffled him that she's still alive to this day? Out of probably 8.2 billion humans, why was _she_ in his thoughts? Why was _she_ special all of a sudden? 

Why did the Mani gave him a path towards her? There was no reason this North Wind spirit would take him out of all the other probable winter spirits to save her from...whatever happened 200 years ago. 

"...Where...where _is_ this glacier you guys keep talking about?" Jack finally turned his attention to the old man, who finished his bowl. "Up north from here, but to get to it, there is the Dark Sea, a water spirit resides there. He guards the glacier with all it's might. He is a fearsome spirit. You know how people react to the ocean. They fear what lurks inside it, they fear the darkness it holds within" "A water spirit? Then I could just fly over the ocean to get to this glacier with no problem. I'm sure I've flown over it a bunch of times. I probably met it before..." Jack crossed his arms with confidence. If this water spirit was there and closer to the North Pole, then it would have seen him and North's sleigh every year. The old man furrowed his eyebrows. "Are you sure you've met him before because he hides very well underneath the ocean" 

Jack glanced at Baby Tooth, who hovered above his shoulder and again shrugged, shaking her head in 'no. never saw him'. "Eh. No...I guess not, but I'll still have the advantage of flying right past the sea" The old man nodded. "Alright, but if you do get to the glacier, make sure he's on your good side. The spirits are not at peace after what happened here" Jack stood up and flew above them all. He tried once to go all the way to the fog's ceiling, but he was propelled all the way back down, so now he just flew through the forest. "I'll keep that in mind" "Tell us what became of her!" the old man shouted as Jack flew with the wind and spring leaves around him towards north. 

* * *

The dark sea was sill thrashing about violently, thunder clouds had blocked the moon's light as it shown on the surface of the battle. The unsuspected battle between both Water Spirit and this mysterious shadow horse. The dark clouds were making things more difficult for Nokk as he couldn't really see this threat to him in the complete darkness. Nokk was used to the darkness of the night, used to the clouds blocking the moon's light. Yet now this shadow horse can be anywhere in the dark. Only the lightning of the storm gave ease and access to the shadow figure running on top of his waters at an equal pace as him. A fast as he let his waves clash, Nokk sunk down into his waters. The shadow horse kicked him with it's hoofs in the dark of the ocean depths. To his surprise, the water held no effect on it and it continued to thrash about him. Nokk went back onto the surface, the shadow horse following him as the moon light reflected the glistening blue frost it was seemingly made out of. What ever this creature was, he was not letting it go close to the glacier. The Water Spirit turned from running away and leap forward, running right to the yellow eyes horse. They were equal in size and stamina, but were they equal in fear? 

Another lighting strike appeared and the storm finally revealed itself as a snowstorm as golf ball-sized hail fell harshly around them. The two horses continued to take each other on in the dim moonlight of the Dark Sea, not knowing that something else was lurking in the cold dark waters. It's own yellow eyes stared out, watching the battle as the hail began to sink. A dark, menacing hand took the piece for itself. The hail began to turn black from it's touch. The water did not stop it from letting the waters muffle it's amused laughter. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took a while, half of my mind doesn't know where this story was going.


	11. A Girl named An(n)a

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Toothiana looks through memories

[Arendelle, Norway]

[July 17, 1857]

"A cactus!"

"Jousting!"

"Pole!"

"Sword!"

"Walking stick!"

"Oo oo! Okay uuh...cane?"

The ringing of the bell signaled and the family of 5 groaned, Anna and Kristoff sat close together while the their three children either sat on the floor or Anna's lap. Olaf was with them, sitting on the far right end of the couch next to Sven, who lowered the bell to the ground and kicked the half empty hour glass of sand away. The littlest child on his mother's lap was smiling brightly, clapping as his family were shouting words he didn't understand yet.

"Staff. It's a Staff"

Elsa huffed, lowering her shoulders and smiled to her now growing family. She saw the five of them simultaneously gawk, slowly nodding their head in understanding. "Ooh" Olaf jumped down to the chair, getting ready for his turn of the game of charades while Elsa took his spot next to Sven. She turned her head to see the ginger haired boy grasping for her long locks, eager to feel how soft they were in his chubby little hands. She didn't mind her baby nephew to play with her hair or tug on the ice silks that flowed from her back. This was her family after all and she wouldn't want to miss out of this little guy who was so playfully eager to touch her. Thankfully, she was glad that Bruni didn't come with her to the castle, she was more worried about him setting things on fire by accident then anything else. Not to mention the royal court didn't want any small creatures roaming the palace. New royalty, new rules and responsibilities. Responsibilities she thankfully didn't need to handle any longer yet was still pitiful that she handed her status over to Anna. She loved her sister more than anything and she would want to help her and King Kristoff with the royal papers and taxes that were happening as of now. She could see the exhaustion of her younger sister through her bagged eyes and messy flowing hair. Anna always worked hard, maybe a bit less than Elsa ever did considering the fact she can be lazy and 'out there' sometimes.

Well Elsa shouldn't complain of her sister's laziness, she knew how stressful it was to be Queen, and she had been afraid that she was a bad queen to her people. Well at least Anna had help with her to keep everything going smoothly...even when she did have three children running a-muck around the palace. At most of her weekly visits, she noticed that the children were so hyper, so fun and so polite when she was around. They loved her when she visited the palace because of her ice magic. Sometimes she would sneak out with them and play snowball fights or even watch her make small snow castles. She was always fun to be around with kids, but for the adults she as more serious and more mature. Elsa was to be respected, she had powers like no-one else, and she was to be feared as well, but she never meant any harm to anyone with her gifts.  
She felt a tug on her loose hair, and a babies laugh as he took a good hold. "Ow. Ow. A little too hard" She winced, seeing the newborn still tugging at her soft and thick hair. "Soft!" "Yes. Yes it's soft, I take good care of it Brean" She continued to watch her baby nephew as Olaf continue to form into different things, her family still guessing.  
"Elsa!" "Yes?" The bell rang again and Kristoff cheered to himself. Another winning streak of charades for him. The spirit blinked in confusion, then huffed again seeing she wasn't being called by anyone, just another win.

"Stop using my sister for your turn Olaf" Anna gave little Brean to Elsa, who blinked at the exchange and felt the babies fat legs on her lap, his blue eyes looked up at the blonde spirit in wonder, still wanting to tug at her hair. Elsa wrapped her arms around the 1 year old with care, making sure he doesn't fall off her lap. Anna took another slip of paper out of the basket and raised an eyebrow. How was she going to imitate that? She shook her head and threw the paper to the ground. Folding her arms as she flapped them.

"Chicken!"

"Uh..bird!"

Anna urged on her younger daughter to keep going. "Penguin!"

She kept making more gestures, cocking her head out.

"A chicken!" the older brother stated again. Anna kept going, imitating some type of flower and poking her head through it.

"Butterfly!"

"Bumblebee!"

"Eagle!"

The bell rang again and Anna stopped finally.  
"It was a hummingbird! You were close Maja!" Maja, who sat on the floor, her blonde hair resting against Elsa's legs, groaned. "You could've just hummed" "No sound in charades, against the rules" "And who made those rules up?" Anna walked back to her seat and sloped down into the cushions. "Olaf did"  
"My turn!" Kristoff beamed with excitement, ready to play, and went to the basket, taking out another slip of paper to only throw it to the ground. He started jumping in the same spot, his hands against his chest.

"Kangaroo!"

"Emu!"

"Monkey!"

Kristoff then pointed to Olaf's nose and started chomping in thin air. His hand getting closer to his mouth as he chomped.

"Horse!"

"Sven!"

"Rabbit!"

"Ding ding ding we have a winner!" Kristoff cheered as he went over to his favorite wife in the world, giving her a kiss on the lips before sitting down in his spot. "Ew you two are so gross, kissing right in front of Brean like that" The older child, Ansgar, crossed his arms with a disgusting look, seeing his parents be all lovey dovey like that. He wasn't the type to be so soft or mushy, he was a tough boy, masculine and a protector. As the oldest child, he still had the belief that love made people too soft. He was still just a 12 year old boy after all. "Wait until you're older and you may fine a lovely little lady to change that view of yours" Kristoff spread his arms out around the couch, gripping Anna's shoulder as she rested her tired head on his own.  
Agnar grumbled and placed his head on the couch behind him.  
"So who goes next?" Olaf asked, still having the energy to play, kicking his snowball feet against the cushions. Elsa saw Brean reach for the snowman's nose, grabbing that and taking it off of his face. The little boy inspected the carrot. "Ca!" He smiled at the orange vegetable. Elsa giggled, still holding little Brean in her arms. "Carrot" She replied. "Car!" "No no. Care-rut" She moved her lips slowly, her smile still on her face. "Carc" She saw the little ginger child bite with his growing teeth into the hard carrot.  
Then without warning, he started crying.

  
Brean let go of the carrot, letting it tumble to the floor as a single white tooth had stayed in place. Elsa tried to shush the baby by bouncing him in her lap, singing to the crying child and hoping that it would help. When Ansgar was a little kid, she would always sing him to sleep and that had always helped when he felt down or cried a lot. Her favorite melody was always the one that Iduna sang when she was a child. Yet her singing didn't stop Brean from crying and Anna picked him up in her arms. Cradling him and wondering what was wrong. "Why so sad baby? What hurt you?" She cooed.  
Then Olaf held up a single baby tooth in his stick hands, showing it off with a smile on his face. "It's a tooth! Brean lost a baby tooth!" "Great" Ansgar rolled his eyes remembering that time he lost a tooth. It was never pretty. "I'll go place it under his pillow!" Olaf jumped, ready to go straight to the cradle of the kids bedroom. Maja and Ansgar yawned at the same time, seeing that the sky was dark at this hour. It was getting late, and everyone seemed exhausted from their duties and studies in the kingdom.

Kristoff rubbed his eye and noticed his two children getting sleepy as well. "Come on fellas, time for bed. Goodnight Elsa" He waved as he took his kids and walked with them out of the room and into the hallway. Sven had followed suit. Leaving Anna with Brean still crying and Elsa making a small icicle pop for the baby to suck on. "Thank you Elsa" Anna said as Brean had finally quieted down, sucking on the icicle and already shutting his eyes. "I know that I've been..busy with everything. A lot on my shoulders since being queen but, i'm glad your here" A half tired smile shown itself on Anna, patting her third child on the back, still bobbing around. "Me too" Elsa smiled back, following her sister and child through the hallways and gently placing Brean in his cradle, the tooth under his bed. As she turned off the lights, Anna closed the door behind her, leaving the two sisters alone in the halls."Soo...how's your training going with the Northudra?" Anna asked, walking beside her glowing sister.

  
"It's doing well, Yelena is teaching me some of her lessons. Showing the traditions of the tribe. Dancing, chanting, playing with flutes and making soup. Ryder and Honeymaren are still out and about, coming back to show me things and talk about the constellations" Anna gasped. "The constellations?! Like the Norse stories? I still have the old books on Aren and the tales of creatures from yore! It's still in that secret chamber in the library" "Why is it still there? I thought you took them out of the chamber years ago right?" "Well I did, but I also saw some more books and old snow globes from before. I wanted to keep most things secret and safe. Like a memory box! Or something"  
Elsa furrowed her eyebrows in question. "A memory box? You mean a time capsule" Yes. Exactly that. Since it's deep underground now, and if there are changes with this kingdom. Maybe it would stay there for a long time" "What if they did find out about it in the future and replaced it with something else?" "I don't think that will ever happen" Anna shook her head, confident that the secret room hidden under the library was safe and secure from theft. 

Elsa shrugged, knowing that it wouldn't really be a problem to her anymore. She wasn't a queen now, but she was still curious about the old myths and legends of her home and country, not to mention other countries. The two sisters kept on walking until they reached the outdoor balcony on the second floor. Elsa opened the doors, seeing Arenfjord before her and the stars in the sky twinkling about. The moon was very bright tonight, overcasting the northern lights above, and beaming down into the river. The moon's light reflected like a mirror. Little bugs floated around, glowing in the summer night. She breathed deeply, smelling the fresh air and cool breeze around her. She placed her hands on the railing, Anna did also, staring out into the night. The sisters were alone again in eachother's company, embracing their new lives as individuals. Of course there were obvious separations, that's what families are like these days. Sometimes Anna wished she would go back to where they had childhood fun again. But moments like these were fine and made up for any lost time. Even if Elsa had this freedom, this duty of her own as the fifth spirit of the enchanted forest here. Anna was so excited every Friday, eager to hear her sister's adventures out in the world and know what they were like. What sights she might have seen. 

Some weeks ago Elsa had told her about the glacier, about the memories and the funny events that were happening in the tribe. They would talk all day about things in Arendelle, Older sister helping younger sister, Anna talking about the villagers and so on. Elsa would always listen, nod her head and just stand there like the free spirit she is. Laughing along with her sister at some parts of her stories. She smiled out towards the moon, shining brightly. Her tiredness was going away bit by bit. Anna was always tired of her work and job, everyone was usually sleepy at nights, but not Elsa. Somehow, she was never truly tired. Days in the woods and forests made her feel gleeful, like an energetic kid that didn't want to sleep. Well maybe she did sleep and have dreams and Elsa never told her or she never saw her sleep. 

"Have you ever made a wish to the moon?" Elsa asked, leaning her chin on her palm, staring at the moon. The same bright moon she has always seen on her nightly walks in the woods and rivers. Anna thought "mm.. nope. I thought we only wish on stars. Since the 'Hey it's a shooting star, make a wish and it'll come true' or something like that" Anna gestured as a mocking to the phrase before leaning against the rail, looking at her sister. "Why?" 

She shrugged. "I don't know...*sigh* the moon seems so bright every time I look at it. Shining the darkness away, I don't feel so afraid anymore. Like the moon just glows for attention, competing with the stars in the sky. I just thought 'Why not make a wish towards the moon instead?' and see what happens" "Well, it won't hurt till you try it. Either way, I think the northern lights dominate the sky more than the moon does" Anna crossed her arms. Elsa shrugged. "Maybe you're right" "You've seen more than I have, you should know those lights are so much better to look at than the moon" 

"The moon is pretty big sometimes..." "Have you wished on the moon before?" Elsa nodded "I have, a couple of times" "Ooo, tell me! I want to know your wishes!" "I can't tell you, it's a secret between me and the moon only" "Aw come on! Don't shut me out like that! I'll tell you my wishes then! I wished Ansgar would stop being so hard headed. I wish Olaf would stop eating the kids birthday cakes. I wish Kristoff would stop winning charades all the time-" Anna counted with her fingers as she thought of the million wishes in her mind. Elsa only stared at the moon that was visibly shining, seeing a rainbow halo around it's body grow brighter. Then she saw something small, moving in the dark and glistening on top of a mountain. The moon's glow showed the figure there, looking someplace else. It left the mountain top as soon as it's head moved to her direction. It was gone in an instant. 

"-wished you'd find your true love" 

That brought the spirit back into focus. She blinked and turned to see Anna's smug look. "Finally got your attention sister. Didn't know the words 'true love' had any effect on you" Elsa stuttered "I-I-why I- no they don't! Why would you wish for me to find true love?" "Weell" Anna rolled her eyes, her smile widened as her wild unkempt hair swayed in the summer breeze. "I just think you're lonely" "I am not lonely, I have you and Kristoff and Olaf as family. I love all of you, purely with all of my heart" Anna gushed, hugging her older sister tightly. "Aww! Thank you! I love you too!" Before Elsa could hug back, Anna separated herself just as quickly. "But seriously, are you happy with everything?" Elsa nodded with a peaceful smile. "Fully content with what I have" 

"Do you ever want more? Do you ever had that feeling of...of romance being left out of your life?" Elsa deadpanned. "Anna..." "Hey. I get it. You don't need romance to be happy, you already love your life as it is. As long as you keep coming back every Friday and tell me more about your adventures. I just hope you won't forget about me" "Oh Anna" Elsa placed her hands under her sister's chin. "I've been used to being alone for so long. I'll never forget you. I'll always love you" She embraced her sister tightly, hoping that they would have more moments like this. 

There was a lovely moment of silence before Anna spoke again. 

"I still think you need romance" 

"Really?!"

"Yes! It's new to you isn't it? You should embrace the unknown of romance into your life!" 

Elsa deeply groaned. 

How could Anna propose such a thought? She didn't need or want anyone, she never had a crush in her life! Let alone had time for such things when she was queen. 

"I would rather die alone" 

"ELSA!" 

* * *

[Tooth's Palace] 

{December 26, 2027]

"Switzerland, sector 8, 9 molars, 7 canines...What? Chocolate? Well I'm not surprised. Kids do want chocolate these days...*sigh* let's not talk about Easter _or_ Valentines day. Who gives kids all of these chocolates?!" Toothiana stared in horror at the 7 teeth in her hand, all brown and black, slightly eaten away. "Ugh I don't want to touch these, just put them in the child's box" Tooth handed the teeth to the baby fairies as each of them flew out into the open. 

Toothiana sighed and shook her head "How do these children refuse to brush their teeth? Do their parents ever remind them about how important it is brush _and_ floss everyday?" She hovered out of her bird cage, seeing her own fairies zooming in and out, doing their jobs as always. She stared out of the scenery of jagged mountaintops and eyed what looked like from away reindeer- about 6 of them- flying with North's sleigh from behind. She saw the sleigh and the reindeer head towards her palace and made a stopping point to her own quarters. Toothiana quickly flew down to where North had landed and saw him walk out of his sleigh, holding something in his hand. 

"Tooth! I brought you something!" The jolly man took a step down onto the Asian painted floor and handed her a memory box. "Here you are!" Tooth saw Jack's picture on the side. "It's a jack-in-a-box! He told me to give it back to you. Well he said he didn't really need it anymore" She took the box out of North's hands "Has he finally stopped looking through it? I mean I did see his expression on his face two days ago but...He didn't tell me why he needed it so desperately. I haven't even seen someone look at a box like that before. It could just be teeth, but..." Toothiana held the box with both hands, gripping it tightly as she stared at the diamonds upon it with worry in her eyes. "He just...looked so sad" She felt North's giant hand on her feathered shoulder, giving the half-fairy reassurance. 

She looked up to North's blue eyes. "He's going to be alright. He told me before that he...missed being who he was" Tooth tilted her head in question "Who he was? But..why would he miss his former life? We were all someone before and-" "Tell me Tooth. Do you miss being who you were before?" The fairy looked down at the tooth box, then at a golden birdcage, then back at North's humble eyes. 

Well...did she like what she was now? Being a hybrid of both human and bird? Did she miss all of those times she had been seen as a monster? Adults being so greedy when their kids gets jewels and coins but not them? Did she miss her mother and father before they were killed? Did she really want to see those memories again? For the longest time in her life, she had never opened her own tooth box, nor any other child's box, since it was sacred. It was different for her. She didn't want to see her memories, her childhood past, when she was 12 and lost everything dear to her. Tooth stayed quiet. She would remember the happier moments, but it would bring more loneliness. 

"....No...I was the same through and through" North sighed, patting Toothiana's feathered shoulder and going back to his sleigh. "Being Human. He doesn't know that much about his own past. 'I keep hearing my sister' he says. I don't know how to help him Tooth but *sigh* he is just a boy. Watching kids grow and age while he doesn't? I saw it in his eyes, it got to him quite personally" North took the reins in both hands, but he didn't whip them, just stared. "I wonder how long it's been myself, to be a child, fighting with the Cossack. Watching children grow and new ones arrive. I thought Jack never gave a single thought of growing up. Being human myself once, I grow and now am old, stay the same for years, never die and now a spirit" He chuckled. "And I won't be my human self ever again. It pains me well" 

The silence around the two grew awkwardly, a bit heavier than North attended it to be. He shook his head with a laugh. "But! That's in past. This is what we are now and I like my job as guardian! Though I _am_ concerned about him hearing voices of past relative..." He placed his hand under his chin in thought. "Have you found what happened to your snow globes lately?" Tooth asked, the memory box still in her hand. "Ah! Nope! But good thing is Phil made more!" North took out the snowglobe from his pocket and showed it to her, then placed it back into the sleigh. "That's good to hear" Tooth smiled her white teeth, watching North then ready to leave as he whispered to the snowglobe and threw it towards the sky. A portal of appeared before him. 

"That's all I have to say. I'll call you when something is wrong" He saluted and whipped the reins, watching the reindeer lift off and fly inside the portal. After watching North fly threw and disappear, Toothiana hovered back to her own bird cage, the memory box still in hand. She saw most of her fairies all huddled together and conversing with one another in absence. They all turned to her, quite as they watched their queen stare at this one memory box with an expression on her face. That expression was one of confusion. The fairies then surrounded her curiously, wondering why she was invested in this type of memory box. What was so interesting about a boy's memories? Especially the memories of a guardian? Well the memories of the Guardians are usually locked away somewhere in the back of their mind. The only guardian memory boxes they possessed were one's who were human beings. That would or wouldn't include herself and North's baby teeth. Toothiana knew that Nicholas was a human before he grew in age only to stop growing completely. She hasn't seen Nicholas's baby teeth or memory box. It was probably lost in a mountain of boxes in the N category. 

Toothiana sighed. She had this thought of seeing Jack's memories for herself. She held some type of hope that she could help the young guardian somehow. Since he had a sister, Tooth might of kept her box somewhere in the cages below her. But...what if he didn't want to see his sister's memories? What if it gave him more heartache then necessary? Of course it was ridiculous to linger on to the past like that. Not moving along and getting stuck in time... 

The fairies saw her shake her head, her eyes determined as she stared at the box before her. "I'm going to look into his memories" The fairies squealed in alarm, looking at one another in confusion and shock. She wasn't aloud, no fairy was aloud to look through a child's memories. It was theirs alone. "I know it's been a while since I looked through the memories a child...but this is Jack we're talking about. He's seen it plenty of times to remember the details...but maybe he's looking at the wrong box! She could just look through his memories and- She slapped herself. 

"No no no, just because he has such snow white teeth doesn't mean you should interfere with one's memories. This is for his sister. Don't feel so worried about him hearing voices. It's just a guy Tooth! It's just a memory box!" The fairies watched their leader struggle to open the box, conflicted about her own feelings and memories of her own past. Then she calmed herself and placed her hand on the blue diamond. The box glowed white and Toothiana managed to look into his memories. 

* * *

The memories finished and Toothiana stared at each of her fairies, a sorrowful expression in her magenta eyes as she still held his memory box. She turned away from her fairies and out of her cage. The memories that she saw were the same as what he saw, but she didn't know that. She saw his whole life flashed before her eyes and the end of his life was tragic yet brave indeed. She sighed as she headed over to the cages that held the memory boxes, seeing her fairies working as they always do. Taking currency from each country bank, come back with teeth in their hands. Place said teeth in boxes of millions of childhood memories and repeating the process. She flew over to the 'J' category, that too was a mountain heap of childhood teeth, all columned together in rows like a machine in alphabetical order. As she finally approached the columns and rows in the walls, she counted to find the missing one. 

Jackson Overland

She placed the golden box into the slot, hearing a clicking sound to tell that it was secure in the comfortable compartment. Toothiana glided away from her busy fairies towards the open air and to another, higher golden cage. This golden cage held the memory boxes of children in the 'A' category. Again there were rows and columns expanding and making more room for more children who were born. When children had stopped loosing their baby teeth, the fairies simply stopped collecting them for each tooth box contained the exact amount of teeth that one child looses. There were 32 teeth in one mouth. 20 were baby teeth that fall out or 'shed' to make room for maturity. That is why baby teeth are important for memories of a child's life. Toothiana didn't want to look into a child's past since she feared that maybe there were children having a worse childhood than others. Of course she is a guardian of memories, she keeps the memories of every child that ever lived! But there were rules she made herself that she shouldn't look at everyone's memories. It would simply be too much for her since she is just one spirit. And there are millions of children out there who are still being born to look through their childhood. 

Tooth finally hovered over and scanned each picture of children, hoping to find one that looked as close to the girl as possible. Brown eyes, rich brown hair, round face. She would go as fast as she could to figure out who his sister's name was. For in his own memories, she heard of nothing of his sister's name (well her actual name). It was only about Jack's memories and his name had been repeated constantly. His sister was birthed 10 years after him. She might have seen him before, but it was so strange as to why Jackson _died_ to become a guardian. 

Toothiana stopped to see something shining a golden yellow in one of the diamond compartments across from her. She hovered closer. In all of her life, she has never seen such a thing before. Of course her palace and the tooth boxes contained magic, but she never really seen a glowing tooth box that wasn't hers. As she got closer to the wall, she heard a noise coming from it. A name, a name that had been called by no other than Jack himself. She heard Jack's voice through the wall. Toothiana pressed her hand against the gold of the diamond and the box appeared. The picture of his sister's features drawn on the side. The box was still shining bright. 

She was going to grab the girl's box into her hands until she heard another voice, another box glowing yellow inches away from her. The box started to make a sound, a voice was heard from there. Tooth flew to the box to get a closer look. This memory box held a picture of a gingered haired girl with two braids, freckles and blue eyes. The fairy was confused, confused and unsure of what was going on. Why were these two boxes that were seemingly one diamond away from each other glowing? What was happening? Was it calling her to read them perhaps? 

The boxes continued saying words that were completely different from one another: 

"You're gonna be fine" 

"Go away, Anna"

Tooth swiveled her head from one box to the other. The fairies beside her were also staring, curious and concern as each box glowed on it's own. Why was she hearing them both? These teeth belonged to children from the past, there was no way that they were alive. But she kept their memories anyhow. Tooth huffed, and took each box in her hand. Maybe she could just read these memories herself. See what these children were like and why they were ever so important to just start glowing on their own. If more boxes started behaving like this, she would be deeply concerned to do something about it. 

"Alright, who goes first?" She eyes the one on her left hand, then her right. Well, it wasn't hard to choose, Jack's voice was very familiar to her, so she figured out this was his sister's box. If it didn't started glowing, she would have sent one of her fairies to find Jack and give the box to him. Maybe see if her voice would finally stop dominating his thoughts. She placed the box on her right down and pressed her hand on the blue diamond, her eyes closed as she looked. 

* * *

[Colonial Settlement, Pennsylvania]

[February 17, 1698]

It was the afternoon, the sun the beaming down in the small village, not yet up to 150 people to settle in. in this colonial village, it was crowded with people that were seeing a performance happening around the campfire ditches and the town's water well supply. There were obviously some about two other towns a bit ways from the Susquehanna river, and they were just as equally established as this main settlement. There were about 5-6 houses in this settlement, the other two towns had about the same amount. It wasn't all that strange to live together in a one big house. Families from the other towns would visit and have fun, while complete strangers were sleep on bunk beds or what not. Though this family was lucky that they didn't have to share a house with other strangers, this family lived in a cabin a bit ways away from the main town settlement, very close to a pond and a large twisty oak tree. In the town there was a girl who walked in her brown tight dress with two red stripes and white pattern diamonds. She was excited, ready to go see some kind of performance that was playing. Laughing about, she didn't hear her name being called out by a familiar voice as she went through the crowd both grown-ups and children. "Excuse me, pardon me!" She pushed and shoved to the front to finally see a band of Native American's carrying instruments in hand. They had already started playing music to the crowd, a familiar tune echoed through the town. 

The girl clapped, jumping ever so lightly in excitement, her smiled showed a gap from a lost baby tooth. She was always excited to see the Natives come to their town and play with their flutes and sounds of such magic. It was so lovely to her, yet so foreign she couldn't quite grasp what they were saying or singing about. Her father had told them that these Native's were 'Moon Worshipers' what ever that meant. They would come on some friendly occasion and showing as well as trading their goods with whatever her town had. There was plenty of commotion from the other towns as they had rose with more taxes and more explorers. Her Dad was always busy with talking to such strange people, as her brother was sometimes responsible. Well he was suppose to be the responsible one. Speaking of older brother. 

"There you are, you little flee. What's with the commotion?" A hand patted the girl's hand and she looked up to see brown eyes, and equally brown wild hair with such a smile on his face. "Jack! The Natives came! I never saw them before!" "The Natives?" Said boy looked up to notice 3 natives in their own clothing, holding instruments in their hand as they played for the villagers. Jack nodded at the scene, looking and listening intently at their performance. He remembered some years before she was born that the villagers were always on good terms, or try to be. 

He patted her head again. "Stop calling me that!" He blinked down to his little sister "Hmm? Why not? I think it suits you. Keep jumping around and away from me!" Jack began messing up her hair as she tried to stop him, hearing him laugh again. "Stop it!" "Until you come back to the cabin. I got a surprise for you" He let go of her head and ran from the crowd and to the dirt pathway. She went after him, forgetting about the natives in front of her, and saw him give her a sly smile, taking something out his pocket. "What is it?" He took out a small piece of chocolate from his vest pocket. He chuckled with a teasing grin. "Chocolate~" brown eyes widened as she gasped "Where did you get chocolate?! Give me give me!" She jumped after him in surprise and happiness, only to see that her older brother turned around and ran up the dirt path laughing. 

Another memory flashed, this one showed her watching her father work on the logs, cutting and chopping them in half as she she watched from afar. Kicking her legs as she ate a snack. Her father then stopped, stretching his back, hearing his bones crack from straining his back. He wore the same shirt Jack wore except there were overall straps connecting his pants to his shoulders. His own coat was laying next to her and he wore a colonial hat as he cut the wood. He huffed out, tired of his job. He then turned to look at his younger daughter. "Ah...Ana..where's your brother? Shouldn't he be here by now?" "Uh...I think he went into the woods" Ana continued to take a bite from her chocolate. "In the woods? How far is he in there? he should know that-" He picked up another log upright and took his ax "-to not wander off so much and just take some responsibility. He was going to help me with this wood today-" He chopped the wood with ease "- I hope he hasn't run off-" he took another log "- we still have to watch over the farm!-" He stopped, lowering his ax to the ground. "-who would watch over the animals when I'm gone?-" Ana stepped down from her rock and raised her hand "I will!" He chuckled, then took his hat off. Showing the same replica of wild hair, well it was less wild than his brothers. "You're still young Ana" "But I can! I can watch over the animals when you're gone! Wait where are you going?" She started to walk over to her dad, who placed the ax down to grab the sliced wood. "Going somewhere..." He started piling the wood together "...far away from here" Ana watched her father take hold of wood pile, which was now tied together with rope, and walk back to the cabin. "Where's far away?" She followed him back to the cabin. "...Well you know, coal mining duties!" He chuckled as they both walked into the cabin. 

The scene changed when Ana was next her older brother, who was sitting on the bench in the town, laying back against a building. His head up to the clouds. It was springtime. Villagers were walking amongst the town as well as others from different locations. He was in thought, his eyes focused on the clouds and the wind that pushed them away. "What are you thinking about?" She asked, seeing his newly found wooden staff next to him. He sighed quietly. "I was thinking...when will dad come back? It's been a few months" "I'm not worried about it. I know he's coming back. I have hope!" Ana looked at her brother with certainty, but he was unsure about it. Jack glanced back up to the sky "I don't know...I know I shouldn't really think of these things...but" "But what? You could tell me" Jackson shook his head and began to stand up, taking his new staff with him. "Never mind, come on, lets go" She watched her brother walk away from her silently, which confused her since she never saw her brother so serious before. 

Another scene appeared. Ana was in front of the fireplace, watching the fire burning brightly in a trance. She liked the warmth of the fire a lot. The cabin door opened and who came in was her older brother holding his staff in hand. He held something in free hand in his free hand and quickly went to the wooden table. He placed his staff against the wall and placed the object down. Ana blinked, confused of what so urgent. She stood up from the fireplace and walked over to her brother. "Jack? What is it? It is more chocolate?" But when she looked up at her brother, expecting another of his famous grins, he looked sad. "Jack?" Said boy stared at the crystal before him on the table. Her attention went from her brother to the crystal. It was so shiny! It was glowing in the light of the fireplace. "Where did you get that?" She was going to touch it, but Jack stopped her from grabbing it. "Don't touch it Ana" She blinked in surprise. He never used her name unless he was serious about something. "Why not? You had it in your hand right?" He nodded his head. "...Yeah... but you shouldn't touch it" "Why? Did someone give it to you? Was it a girl?" Jackson finally turned his direction to her in utter shock. "Huh?" "It was a girl wasn't it!" "I-I don't know what you're talking about" He shifted his eyes from her to the blue crystal and back. He then grabbed the crystal into his hand and walked into the bedroom quickly. "It's got to be a girl! Who was it?" "It wasn't anyone Ana!" "Was it the girl with the black hair? Or the one with a braid?" She followed her brother around the cabin for answers. "No!" "The one with a ponytail? Blonde hair?" "Ana stop it!" She didn't stop, in fact she was giggling when she thought this was also a game, running around the cabin was fun. 

The scene changed again. This time it was when she tugged her brother to go out and play on the ice pond. "Be careful you two" Her mother called out as Jackson looked back to her mother with a smile. "We will" He said, his blades behind his coat as they walked out. The door closed behind them and she continued to tug him along to ice. Jackson placed his ice skates down on the ice, he didn't want to use them and he didn't need to since now Ana was stuck and scared when she first started to skating. The ice below them both were cracking. Everything played out as destiny was going to be. Jack held his staff to catch her, he flung her to his side and he was on her side of the pond. They both were smiling to each other before the ice gave way and let him fall into the chilling waters. Ana got up, hand out stretched to him "Jack!" But it was too late, he had been taken by the cold hands of fate. Ana went over to the hole to see nothing but darkness. He wasn't there at all, it was if he disappeared forever underwater. "Jack!" She kept on crying out, but no response. She was on her knees and she began to cry out. "Jack! Jack! Please! Don't go!" She kept crying until she heard her mother come out of the cabin. "Ana? Oh my god!" She quickly came over to the ice, which was also starting to crack under her wait. But she was careful and she successfully went to her daughter. "Ana...Where's Jack?" "He...He" She choked, still looking at the dark waters. Her mother widened her eyes and shook her head. "No...no this can't-Jack...not my little Jackson. I told you to be careful!" She started to cry herself, but she didn't morn for too long since she was worried about themselves as well. 

Her mother took her by the hand and got picked her up, slowly and carefully getting off of the pond and back into the cabin. Her father apparently already saw the scene, yet he didn't say anything about it. He was on his bed, his hands covering his face as he hunched. "Jack...he...I saw it. I saw it all" He muffled through his hands. "Then why didn't you do anything?!" Ana ran to her father and was going to hit him, but he took her into a hug. She began crying into his arms. "I'm sorry...Jackson..." He cried as he held his daughter tightly in his arms. Her mother also coming in for a hug. 

* * *

Tooth closed the box and placed it back into the compartment. She breathed slowly and turned away from the diamond. The fairies were around her, waiting for an answer from her. She then went out of the cage, leaving the other glowing box inside the compartment, not wanting to touch it. She didn't say anything until she got to her own cage. The fairies followed her there. "I...saw something I didn't need to see. I won't be looking into anymore boxes for today" Toothiana looked away from her fairies to see the northern lights glow and expand to her territory. She nodded to her fairies and off she went to the North Pole. 


	12. The Snow Maiden

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gale leads Elsa to a Russian man, She sees a shepherd in a snowstorm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had writers block. I make up with a long one.

[Ahtohallan, Svalbard]

[December 24 1880]

"-do you wanna build a snowman-" 

"-please, just go away-" 

"-do you have to go?-" 

"-conceal, don't feel, don't let-" 

"-you'll be fine-" 

"-Hi! I'm Olaf and I-" 

The sounds the statues resonated throughout the memory chamber, the chamber may look as if the memories of her life were limited, but that was just an illusion by the chamber itself. She was in the middle of the glacier in fact, after exploring around and running towards the top, the middle of this chamber held the iconic pattern of the fifth spirit. The tall columns of ice quarts stood at the very sides of the chamber, having the thought of being a tomb, or a temple that was once owned by another. It did look like a palace to her after coming to this pacific glacier. Usually, she would come here for the truth, seek more of the past events and go deeper into the glacier. She was aware of how deep it went and how she still wasn't strong enough to know about its magic. She held questions of why she likes coming back here or why she was so curious of her history. Most importantly she wanted to know who lived here before. Who was the fifth spirit before she was called to be. These memories that surrounded her showed her the past, her youth, her parents youth and the memories of her teachings. She past the memory of herself riding a bike while being sick, and stopped to see Ylena showing her a drum. 

Ice-statue Ylena stood in front of Ice-statue Elsa with Bruni on her shoulder. Ylena was showing her the instruments of the Northudra tribe. "These instruments are sacred for us, they help us to connect with spirits of the forest. You don't have a problem connecting with them, but we need them to communicate. What I'm holding now is a sacred drum of a shaman of our tribe. This instrument has magical properties, albeit more magical than your own" Ylena held the egg shaped drum up to show her the different patterns. Ice-statue Elsa looked to both of her hands then back to the drum in silence. "...how is it more magical than me? Is it the same magic as Ahtohallan?" Ylena shook her head. "Of course not! Ahtohallan is another matter entirely! There are many drums that have many different symbols and pictures. Here I have two of them in my possession" Ice-statue Ylena bent down to take another drum in her hand. "This drum in particular shows the three realms of our world: the material, the underworld, and the world of gods. When a shaman uses it, they are free to travel with their spirit to another realm or look through the eyes of an animal" "So...the gods...are they from Asgard?" Ylena tilted her head and raised an eyebrow, questioned "I...guess you could say that, Yes...but we aren't vikings you know" "I know, just curious" Ice-Elsa shrugged as the lesson continued. 

Elsa continued onto another memory, stopping the previous one and starting the next few memories before she arrived to another. This memory was with Anna and her in the library. Ice-Elsa was in her chair, facing her little sister with a curious stare at the ice crystal in her hand. The ice crystal held a small grain of black sand. The grain of sand that was kept secret from everyone in the kingdom except for her and Anna. They knew what happened, they knew what that grain of black sand was and they were glad that the beast was finally gone. Ice-Elsa asked Ice-Anna "How? How did we defeat the Nattmara without a thing of myth?" "Because we do have a thing of myth-we've had it all along. Aren didn't become a myth because he just so happened to own a sword. Swords and crowns don't change who we are" Ice-Elsa placed the crystal into her pocket. "Then what does?" "True love" "True love. The thing that can move mountains and defeat nightmares" Ice-Anna stood up and took Ice-Elsa by the hand. "Exactly" Elsa smiled bittersweet at the memory, seeing the ice crystal that was in her pocket was still there in the memory. That the ice crystal carrying the black grain of sand was a reminder how she conquered her fear and using it as a strength. She wasn't a bad queen, she loved her kingdom as much as she loved her sister, it was more of her fear of being so...lonely and scared of her own potential. Of her own powers. She was glad that Anna had been with her through those times. 

But now Anna was gone. 

And Elsa was still alive. 

The spirit thought that maybe after Anna's death, she would die and rest as well. There was no need to continue her purpose right? After all they were both the bridge between humans and spirits. That's why mother had two daughters. Anna is the fifth spirit too, Elsa knows it. They needed each other and they had done so much together without actually being together for years. I mean it's natural and normal for sisters to separate as the years gone by, and of course Elsa was fine on her own. Still, she didn't understand why she kept on living while everyone she knew faded away. 

Elsa walked away from the circle of memories and to the crystal walls that towered over her. Reminding how small she was compared to the vast expanse of this frozen river. This one glacier that so happens to hold magic and memories that only she can access. She could see the top as it glowed like blue streaks of lightning. That there was indeed a river over her head, a frozen river full of mystery. No matter how many times she looks up to see such a sight, it never bored her. Even if those many times were actually decades, but time of the outside world doesn't work here. Here this glacier stops time, preserves the ancient waters of old and takes you back to it. 

Ahtohallan was like another realm to her. 

A realm of magic that takes her away to another time. Another age that she never knew existed. Another mystery she wants to uncover. Mysteries that seem to be endless. 

Or was it a prison?

What are you Ahtohallan? What secrets can you show me? What do the spirits say? The streaks of blue above and around her shined and flashed as if it was talking to her. The caves as she traveled about glowed an ocean blue, pulsing like a heartbeat. Elsa gracefully walked out of the ice crystal entrance, jumped over the ice pillars she created and up the ice tunnel. The glowing pulse of the ice was following her too as she jumped with a glint of joy in her eyes. She enjoyed the sound of the ice as if it were singing with her. The voice that had followed her all those decades ago was gone. The voice of Ahtohallan that lured her to her own destiny, her true self, disappeared from her wandering thoughts to change itself into something new. That something new were the blue streaks trailing along the walls, frozen water that resembled lightning surrounding the entire glacier. 

She followed the glowing pulses to the outside, finally seeing the sky and the sea around her. The glacier walls from behind her were getting smaller. Cracking and calving away as they do. The ice that fell to the sea were massive in comparison, the waves more so. Though the waves were very calm here thanks to Nokk, she could see ships of all kinds traveling past here. 

She recalled a time when there were boats with people dressed in very large jackets and hoods. They were men who visited the glacier, waiting and watching. They heard of a women that lived alone in the north island of Spitsbergen. Doubtful of the stories and myths, but curious and risky as most were. Back in her home kingdom, her nieces and nephews told her of a story about a snow queen who lived in Svalbard. In an ice palace of her own. The story had been moved around here and there in Europe and America, eventually towards the ears of explorers. Risky explorers that had a plan once they reached the island. That plan was more or less coal mining, well less coal mining and more of wanting proof that this 'Snow Queen' lived in such a bizarre place. They did notice her once on a tour, where she walked to go visit her family and the looks of surprise and shock crossed their faces. 'It was true!' They said 'She really lives here!' 'The way she dresses and the snow she creates were identical to the story!' Most ships waited at the glaciers to take pictures of the calving that happened, others waited for the snow queen to appear from her new home. Most asked 'Why does she live here now? What about her ice palace?' 'This is her ice palace? It's just a glacier!' Others asked 'How long has she lived there?' 'Isn't it freezing? What does she eat?' 'Where are her minions? Her sculptures?' 'Does she have a name?' Questions, answers, bickering and pondering they continued without her knowledge. 

Though those events were years ago and she hasn't heard of them or seen their ships since. Settlements have been placed, arctic animals have roamed, polar bears slept and foxes hunted in Svalbard. Glaciers were either explored by adventurous men or undiscovered by many. Elsa could have been the only one who knew about the unruly magic that is enchanted underneath them. No matter how many people tried to explore the depths of these glaciers, she was the only one who would gain access to it's secrets, she might of been the key to unlock so many other ancient memories. Yet Ahtohallan held a strange will of its own, it was it's own spirit in and of itself. She realized that decades ago. She still held the question of why she was still...young and alive, but Ahtohallan nor the Northuldra never really answered her after all of those years. 

Now here she was, staring out at the boats, staring out at the darkened sky, the moon shining brightest down on her. As if it was welcoming her, choosing her to go out to landscapes once again. The stars of the sky reflected brightly onto the ocean waters like a mirror. The aurora lights always dancing about. It was just another night, maybe a very important one. She stared at the full moon in awe, a breeze blowing before her, hearing the noise of the wind as it howled. She blinked, from an awed expression to focused. Gale was here, next to her with an urgent message. 

"What is it Gale?" 

The sounds of the wind spirit, using the ice fractals as visualization, created an image. An image she never seen before in her years of living. A crystalline silhouette of a tall man, spikes that resembled hair, and a horse that was beside him was shown before her. Elsa tilted her head. "A...man with a steed?" Gale's imagery changed from the tall man to another spiky haired man, stouter in comparison with his arms stretched out. A sliver of ice swirled over his head. Before Elsa could guess what Gale's pictures meant, the wind spirit flew away towards the vast Greenland Sea. "Where are you taking me this time?" Elsa chuckled as she followed the wind spirit from the icy floor of the glacier to the dark waters. She was expecting Nokk to assist her to cross the ocean, but Nokk didn't appear like he would always. Her questioning of his odd delay got distracted by Gale gaining her attention again, flying around her body and showing another crystal image. The image was a jollier man with swords. "Gale what are you showing me?" Elsa asked, seeing the wind spirit fly away, the ice crystals still shining in the darkness thanks to the full moon's glow. Elsa shook her head softly and she followed, freezing the water as she stepped. 

Ways away from Ahtohallan, Elsa and Gale reached the town of Longyearbyen, where it was famous for the northern lights visibility and the majority of the night sky. When they approached the town, Elsa noticed the glimmering golden flow of sand in the sky that could rival the Aurora Borealis. She _has_ seen them before, on her travels near the cities and towns, but she never knew what they were, or what made such a thing. She's seen the golden sand flow into windows at night, usually bedroom windows, and circle around a person's head while they sleep. One night she was able to touch the sand out of curiosity, and the sand formed itself into a wolf, pouncing around her and playing about before leaving her presence to another window. There were endless streams of sand in the night sky, always on time and always on schedule, even if the there _was_ a midnight sun over their heads every summer. 

Gale continued to lead her a little ways past the town to a hill. As she carefully walked towards the snowy hill side heard a grumble, then a voice "Of all days, where are those dangly elves?" The voice grumbled again and elsa quickly climbed over to see... a sleigh. A giant sleigh colored red with wooden wings and a globe. Six reindeer were strapped to the sleigh, one in the very front was on the ground and resting its antlers on the snow. Looking exhausted and nose as red as a rose, breathing slowly. Elsa's view of the reindeer was caught by a big man. A man wearing red. He was dressed in Russian clothing and seem to not notice her presence when he shifted items around in his sleigh to walk around to the other side. 

Elsa watched quietly, curious to know who this Russian man was. And what type of sleigh he owns, since she's never seen a sleigh like _that_ before in her years of roaming. He continued to mumble about, shuffling things around, holding items of wrapped gifts in his hand before putting them back. Taking out sacks of brown and red, wooden and ice sculptures alike, throwing them out onto the snow. One toy in particular rolled to her bare feet. 

Elsa blinked and grabbed the wooden toy from snow and inspected it curiously. The wooden toy was round. A Russian doll! She's never had them or scene them before. 

"Bah! Where is dingle? Did he fall off somewhere?" The Russian man raised his arms in the sky in exaggeration. Elsa then decided to walk to the him. 

"Um excuse me, you dropped thi-" 

"RIMSKY KORSAKOV!" 

The big Russian man yelled, turned around with his giant hands gripping the wooden sleigh. His eyes, a bright shade of blue, widened in panic and fear. At the sight of her the man breathed heavily, but clasped his hand to his chest. Beating it softly. "You scared me!" Elsa still held out the doll for him to take. Her eyes shifted away in embarrassment. She didn't really mean to scare him like that, maybe he thought no one would see him out here henceforth the scare. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to...scare you...You dropped this...by the way" she whispered and continued to walk towards the big Russian man, who corrected his posture and took the doll from her pale hands. 

"Oh. Thank you" his eyes shifted awkwardly from the doll to the strange girl in white. He placed the doll back in his sleigh, his back to her. He continued to shuffle things around, his eyes focused to finding that blasted elf. "Is you reindeer alright?" "Hmm?" He turned his head to see the white girl walk over to his reindeer. Mostly the sick one. He scoffed "Oh, I don't know what happened to him. One minute i was _whoosh_! Flying into the air. Next minute my reindeer be kapoot! I crash here! Reindeer be sick and elf gone missing. Hah! What luck.." He then stepped into the front seat of his sleigh, tapping the globe and spinning it quickly. His focus was on the northern hemisphere of the America's, the United States in fact, and stroked his long white beard. "Hmm...Another blizzard? I'm not surprised. And on Christmas of all days-" His blue eyes shifted from the reindeer to the globe, making a double take to see the white dressed girl laid her hand on the sick reindeer, petting it so gently. "What are you doing?" "Petting your reindeer" "I can see that, but...*sigh* how did you find me? I keep myself hidden in case of emergency..." The Russian man eyed her, scanning her clothing and hair. That particular clothing was not fit for a winter like this, or even an island like this. Does she already know that it's freezing out? Though...he's never seen such clothing before either. Diamonds and silk? It would be so hard to find her, with all that white. it looked like she belonged in the snow! He watched this strange girl walk gracefully to the other reindeer, who didn't flinch at her touch or go wild like reindeer would normally do. She continued to look at them with awe and wonder, the same peaceful wonder in his own eyes. 

"The wind lead me here" She finally spoke with a gentle smile. The lights of Longyearbyen were distance, but were useful enough to see the sleigh and her pale features in the dark. "The wind?" He raised a thick and sharp eyebrow, questioned. The girl moved her head from the reindeer before her to the Russian man as she walked closer to the sleigh itself, inspecting it. The wonder in her eyes continued as she trailed the thick paint with her fingers. The picture of a reindeer colored gold as well as the 7 pointed star next to it. "I've never seen a sleigh like this before. Did you make it?" She finally focused on him. "Um...yes. Pardon me but aren't you cold?" "The cold doesn't bother me" "Do you live here then?" The girl glanced away at the dim lights of the town, then back to the Russian man, who's eyes were wide in wonder of this mysterious girl. "...Yes, but actually no" The Russian man tilted his head "What do you mean?" "It's...complicated...you said you flew here? You carry toys? Wait" He could see the gears grinding in her head as she shifted from the toys and gifts, to the reindeer before them, to the white bearded Russian man. Her eyes sparkled a little more, her hands against her chest, her smile beamed. 

"*gasp* You're Saint Nicholas!" 

"North, for short" North beamed back as the girl clapped to herself, jumping lightly with excitement. She has never seen such a myth in real life. Or ever in her childhood years. She would always want to ask him for books or dolls that would help her loneliness when younger. No one has ever seen him at night or day when he delivers gifts to others, but now here he was. In the flesh! This is so exciting! 

She stopped jumping and clapping to herself. "Wait. What are you doing here then?" She blinked, her hand still connected mid-clap. North sighed "Sleigh was falling, reindeer sick, looking for elf, elf not here. Can't move sleigh from hill" North picked up the leather reins, showing it to her and then dropped them to the floor. There was a deadpan look on his face "Kapoot" 

"Oh...maybe I could help?" North laughed bitterly "How could you help? It's a day before Christmas and is bad! Reindeer sick means no flight, no flight means no gifts for children, no gifts mean no one believes!" She watched the Russian making more exaggerated postures as he spoke of his bad luck. She walked back to the sick reindeer, who was still laying down in the snow as the others were about to lay down too since, well they weren't going anywhere. "What do you mean no one believes? Does it matter to you?" She sat down on the snow and carried the sick reindeer's head onto her lap, petting it again. The reindeer's eyes were closed as it breathed slowly. There was a small patch of white that stood out from the deep brown. A sight that she didn't want to remember all those years ago. The red of it's nose made it hard to breathe, so it huffed through it's mouth, a cold breath touching her hand. "It matters greatly. I must be believed by children or I be weak. Or worse. Invisible to them, walk through like ghost" North imitated a ghost with his hands and fingers "Ooo~"

She perked up at the last thing he said. "Ghost? Like a spirit ghost?" "Yes. A spirit ghost no one see's unless believed in" She turned back to the sick reindeer, petting it's fur and thinking to herself, deep in thought. Was there a difference between a spirit and a ghost? Maybe she herself was a ghost? That could be why she's still forever young...no that wouldn't be. Ghosts are souls that died and stuck between realms. Spirits are different...they were seen and they could be heard...if you look hard enough. In this case believed hard enough. Bruni and the Earth Giants were visible to the eyes. They're spirits, but they aren't dead. She knew that.

"What's your name anyway?" She looked up to see North get down from his sleigh, holding something in his hand. "Elsa" "Elsa...do you have any parents? Family here?" Said girl looked from North to the snow before her, a sad expression on her face. Still petting the reindeer on her lap. "I..uhm...I don't have parents. They died a long time ago" North nodded, silent as if he understood the loneliness. "Siblings?" Elsa nodded "One...but she's..." "Kapoot?" Elsa chuckled "Yeah...kapoot" North nodded to himself again, stroking his beard and looking away to see the full moon glowing on display in the sky. He smiled gently towards the moon. Man in Moon was up to something. "An orphan then?" She looked up to his direction to see North go back to his sleigh, shuffling piles of gifts and gadgets away. "Well... I guess so, but I became queen after they died so.." North perked at this information. "A queen? Hm, you look more like a maiden then a queen to me. You look very young" He went back to shuffling. 

Elsa then made a snow pillow for the reindeer, shifting his head from her lap to the pillow. She stood up from the ground and went to the Russian man. "I'm..." Elsa counted with her fingers as North continued piling gifts into bags and taking out letters. "...70?" North stopped in his tracks, and sharply turned his head to her. "You are _not_ 70 years old. You look too young to be! You act and move and speak like young adult! if you knew what an elderly women does-" "I am _not_ an elderly women" "-as I said you're not 70 year old elderly women-" "-your point?" "-why do you look so young?" "That's what I'm trying to figure out!" Elsa yelled out in frustration, causing snow to fall around them for a brief 3 minutes. 

North watched her stomp back to the sick reindeer and watched her create something from her palm. what appeared in the air was an ice statue of her father and mother in an embrace. She hugged her knees to her chest as she watched the ice statue move on it's own as if they were dancing in her palm. Her eyes focused on them and no-one else. North's eyes widened at this magical '70' year old girl. Questioning who she really was, but his thought of her display changed to finding what he needed. "Ah-ha! Here it is!" He picked up a snow globe from the sleigh. Elsa turned from the ice statue to North holding up a big snow globe in hand. "What is that?" "A transportation device!" The girl titled her head in confusion. "It's...just a snow globe" "Ah, it is. but..." North demonstrated as he spun it around and whispered into it. Suddenly, the snow globe's transparency changed into an image of building on top of a snowy mountain. Elsa watched him throw the snow globe to the ground. She would have expected it to fall into the snow and not do anything, or break the glass, but to her amazement, the snow globe created a colorful swirling portal that was bigger than the man who threw it. Elsa's eyes grew wide as the portal glowed brighter than the northern lights and floating sands combined. "...it's a _magical_ snow globe" Elsa then stood up, moving to stand next to North as he placed his hands on his hips. "Now. I need help pushing the sleigh inside" He turned back around and started to unhinged the reindeer from his sleigh. "You'd think letting the elves handle your possessions. Ho ho ho, not a good idea" He left the reindeer laying there on the snow as he tried with all might to correct it's position. Elsa watched as he tried to push and move the object in different ways, but ended up catching his breath. 

"Hoo, you think carrying a huge sack of gifts on a sleigh was easy...*huff* and to think I've stopped aging quite enough, Ah my back" North straightened himself to hear a crack and gently rubbed the area. Elsa blinked. "Wait...you stopped aging? When did you stop aging? Are you a spirit or-" "Yes yes, I'll answer your questions when we get- ack- back...help me" He flicked his hand to her and began to stretch himself, only hearing more cracks. "I'm not that old!" He cried. Elsa rolled her eyes and walked behind his sleigh. "Here" She lifted her hands and moved them around to create an snow hill underneath that turned to ice. The sleigh easily slid down the ice slide and into the portal. North turned his eyes to her, both impressed and awed. 

"What about the reindeer?" She pointed to the laying animals next to them "Ah...I usually get my reindeer from Siberia. I know there are reindeer here but..." "You're concerned if they can fly?" North nodded "It's not everyday you see magical flying reindeer" Elsa nodded in response, thinking to herself. If one reindeer is sick, what would happen to it? Why would North leave the other reindeer here? Was there something he knew about them? "I...I have an idea" "Do tell" "I can make snow reindeer for you, to replace the sick one just in case. You don't have to leave the other 5 here" 

North blinked, shocked of what he's hearing. "You...can make a snow reindeer? A living one?" Elsa nodded quickly, both excited and nervous of showing this northern legend her true powers to him. Well, she did see the magic in his objects, so maybe he was used to the magic she held in her hands. "I-if you want me to that is-" "Yes yes! I want to see what more you could do!" North's blue eyes glistened, with wonder and excitement, the portal still swirling before them. Elsa breathed and moved her hands around an area of snow that was close to the deer. The snow lifted itself up like a body, with legs, a head and antlers attached. The eyes were a shade of bright blue, the same color of her magic. The snow-reindeer shook its head and huffed out mist from it's nostrils. Ready for action and flight. Elsa looked back to the big Russian man with a smile. "Tada. A full fledged flying reindeer at the ready" 

North couldn't handle the excitement and suddenly swooped up the girl in a twirl and hug "Thank you thank you!" Before letting her down gently. His beaming smile didn't waver, until he blinked and realized. "I didn't need the snow globe then. I didn't have to put all those presents back in the shop" Elsa bit her lip and winced. "Oops..." "Agh! Quickly, herd the deer in portal! We have to do this fast!" North took the reindeer up from the ground, still attached to each other by the leather, and guided them inside the portal. After the the fifth one went through, North went in after. Elsa was excited yet nervous of what was on the other side. This was a new adventure she never really thought of doing, but now she was. Was she going to the North Pole? Was she finally able to see what was there? 

Wait...what about the sick reindeer? 

Before she fully walked through, she turned around to see the sick reindeer's fur turning white ever so slowly. Was it turning white from the snow? Or from...No. It couldn't be that, that was ridiculous. Elsa shook her head and continued on, yet stopped again, hearing her name being called out from behind her in a whispered echo. 

_...El...sa...El..sa..._

She turned around again to see the sick reindeer still on the ground with her parent's statue, looking lifeless, unmovable and weak. She was about to respond to the echo, but felt a tug from her silk and was dragged through the portal before it closed completely. 

* * *

[Burgess, Pennsylvania] 

[January 20, 2028]

"Jamie...Jamie... _Jamie_! _Jamie listen to me man_!" Brown eyes blinked rapidly from staring directly at the full moon's glow. He swore he saw a face on it, but he shrugged it off and said it was his imagination. He turned from his moon gazing thoughts to see Caleb eye him impatiently. They were inside a cafe, finishing eating whatever dinner they had, and had some books on the table. The winter break wasn't very long for collage students, only a week long, in Pennsylvania so Jamie and Caleb still had work to be done. Which pretty much sucked to be honest. Most of the books on the side were about history or trigonometry, but Jamie kept that Norse book with him to classes so he would read it some more. "Wha- what were we talking about?" Caleb clicked his tongue and sat back in his chair, arms crossed against his chest. "Every time I talk about your _her_ , you go off into fairy tale land and never come down" "I-I wasn't thinking about her okay?" He rolled his eyes. "Of course you weren't. After the whole New Years thing, you're all distracted by how her eyes look, or how her hair flows in the wind or something" 

"Hey. Her hair doesn't flow" "Oh it doesn't?" "No. It..." Jamie titled his head in thought, then moved his hand in a wave motion. "Gently parts itself in a wave motion" He sighed in thought. Caleb huffed "Okay Romeo, her hair waves in the wind. Same difference" He shrugged and took a sip of his milkshake. "But, anyway. How's your US history going?" Jamie slumped back in his chair "Ugh...i think I got a C" Caleb almost spit his drink out onto the table. Almost. "W-wait. You think you got a C? I thought you were goo- well I can't blame you. History is hard man, like really hard. Why'd you take it anyway?" He continued sipping. Jamie rolled his eyes, staring at the Norse book below his other textbooks. Textbooks that didn't need to exist or be so expensive for any college student. It was too much. Let alone the classes get expensive! Why were they so much?! 

"I don't know. Curiosity I suppose. Maybe be better at writing essays?" "Hah! You know curiosity can kill you, make you bored, lie to you about crap you didn't need to know but had to take anyway" "I don't think we're talking about the same curiosity Caleb" "Well, never mind that! Did you at least learn something?" "Uh...Civil War, William Pen, Iroquois, Washington DC getting snowed on, World wars yada yada" "Oh oh! You know that meme where everyone thought WW 3 was happening? For something so stupid?" Caleb chuckled. Jamie puffed "I really had hope that we weren't getting involved in wars again. It's too stupid. Governments are so stupid" "I know right? Hell, I don't even care what they say anymore. It's gonna get worse anyway. Capitalism at it's finest. More and more money, too much illness promotion. I can go on and on" 

"...hmm, how about royalty? I never liked them. Making the wars, having last say. Act like they're better than everyone else. Making up scenarios. I swear they have agendas going on" "I think everyone knows about the Illuminati these days" "Everything's a conspiracy! They're just theories! They're not real!" Both of the boys laughed aloud, causing a scene in the cafe. "I still can't believe you research about fairies and ghosts and all those monster myths. I mean I don't mean to harm you're new-found relationship that I totally set up, but.. seriously you two are _obsessed_ with that" Caleb deadpanned as he sipped his shake again for the 6th time this evening. 

"It's not obsession, it's passion" "Yeah and I'm Cupid" Jamie rolled his eyes "Okay, maybe a little obsessed-" "-more like alot-" "-but there's no harm to it! I still think they're real, just in hiding. Or we're ignorant and choose to not go that deep into it...which is shallow of us, but I believed they're out their somewhere" "Mhm or course you do" Caleb nodded his head, finishing his milkshake and headed toward the trashcan. 

"You still don't believe me!?" "I do somewhat" 

Jamie huffed out, laying back in his chair and taking out the ancient Norse Book in his hands. Placing one side firmly on the table as he opened pages he marked for later. It was a page with more symbols with a King's curved sword, what looked like a swamp monster pronounced 'Draug', and the named 'Nattmara' picture. He then turned to another page, the page of rock trolls, another page of the Norse tailed elves. What he now figured were known as the 'Huldrefolk'. Jamie then closed the book and placed it back underneath the other heavier collage books, staring up at the ceiling fan of the cafe. 

He sighed, closing his eyes in thought. What would he prove if they were real to him? What if there are people out there who actually seen these creatures and were labeled as crazy, paranoid, insane? Why would they shut themselves away from the population? For fear of being discovered? People screaming from seeing something so gruesome they would start a panic? Was that it? They didn't want anything to do with humans? ....Are humans really the threat here? Or is it fear? 

Jamie's thoughts were interrupted by a tapping on the window next to him. He opened his eyes and turned to the window to see a hand print. Just a hand print, in a frosted ice-crystal pattern, colored an icy blue. Shining in the moonlight. Other's would be scared and leave the cafe completely, jumping or having a silent panic. for Jamie it was different, sure his eyes were wide in shock and a bit startled by seeing it, but his thought immediately went to ghosts. Spirits that are never to be seen, or wanted to be seen but never can. He eyed the swirly frosted hand print closely, seeing the delicate details as it glowed like magic. Jamie titled his head. 

Suddenly the hand print disappeared, no trace of blue or frost anywhere on the window. Strange. What was even stranger was when he went back to sit in his chair and saw a figure from the corner of his eye appear out of nowhere. A figure with glassy ice blue skin, wild white hair, and deep blue eyes. Dressed in black with light blue frosted hexagons. The figure was close to the window for him to make out the features. Of course the sudden appearance of the figure would give you a heart attack, which he did get by the way, but it was hidden perfectly. He didn't move, his eyes on the creature that breathed against the window, icy mist clouding the window pane and covering its face. Characters were formed, characters he didn't recognized before. Did this being want him to discipher it? Or respond? Did it know human language? Wait...it looked like the symbols from that Norse Book! 

Jamie quickly took out the book from under his college piles and opened page after page of what he already marked. He looked back at the window. The mist was still there as well as the black and blue figure. Who was this being? He's never seen anything like it in the books! Well the books he possesses. The creature didn't seem to done writing, for now it was frosting up the pane below it, covering it's body from view. Jamie quickly took out his phone, snapping the creature's writings on his phone before they all thawed away. Jamie looked up from his phone to the window pane, confused on where the being went. It was gone as well as the frosted characters. 

"Yo Jamie, what are you looking at?" Caleb asked, walking back to the table with a latte in hand. Jamie turned to his friend, barely containing his excitement. "Okay, first, let me sit down and drink some caramel latte, then you can explode" Caleb sat down, his index finger to Jamie, and sipped his latte in silence for a solid good 3 minutes.

"Ah... that's good stuff. Okay go on"

"I SAW A MYTHICAL CREATURE"

Caleb blinked.... 

"...What?" 

"Okay okay, before you call me crazy, I took a picture of what it wrote down on the window. It thawed when you came back" "If it thawed when I came back it probably hates me" "Caleb...I really don't think it can. Here, see this?" Jamie handed the phone to the his friend, who stared at the photo and raised his eyebrow in question. "Well?" 

"Uh...what am I suppose to be seeing?" Jamie blinked and took his phone back "What?" he stared at his own photo of the symbols on the window pane. The symbols were there! "The symbols... you don't see them? They're clear as day on here!" Caleb shook his head in response, drinking more of his latte. "Nope. Don't worry, I won't call you crazy. I'm just not that into all this fantasy and mythical stuff you and Elizabeth talk about. Well I did get you two together, I should get an award for all that hard work. This is my reward" He showed off his latte to Jamie. "Thank you thank you, I would love to be here all night but sadly my matchmaking skills have retired. What can I say but You're Welcome~" Caleb mocked with a smile as he continued drinking his latte. 

"Moana?" Jamie looked back up from his phone to Caleb, who nodded. "Yup. She's a favorite of mine" "And you said you weren't into all this fantasy stuff" "Hey well, in movies I'm fine with it" "Let me guess...if one really shows up you're a chicken and run away?" "Pfft Nah! If Moana was real I would sing with her any day" "There's a theory out there that she's a goddess" "Hmm...got any favorite Disney movies?" "No" "Why not?" "It's too popular. Too much marketing, greedy things, stealing ideas, liars, pedophilia, I can go on" "Okay...I meant Disney movies not the company itself" 

Jamie sighed and rolled his eyes, putting his phone back in his pocket and taking his books in his bag. 

"I guess...Frozen? I don't know, it's over hyped like always. Underrated movies are so much better.... El Dorado" "That's DreamWorks!" "Well it's a dream and it works for me" Caleb followed Jamie out of the cafe and into the cold breeze of the winter night. Both still chattering and debating about movies as they walked home, unknown of the deep blue eyes of the figure still watching them walk away, invisible to them both. The figure then turned around and walked away from the light of the moon to the shadows beyond.

* * *

[North's Workshop, North Pole]

[December 24, 1880]

"You know, I didn't have to come along with you. You just needed another reindeer and I gave you one. Why bring me along?" Elsa was behind North in the library, who was stacking up books and giving them to the giant Yetis. Which was strange because she's never actually seen Yetis make toys before, or make residence in such a place as this. Though she had to admit, it is quite cozy and comfortable here. "Because...you have a gift I never saw before, or knew before" "I...I thought you did! I wrote you letters about my ability didn't I?" She tried catching up to the Russian, who was quickly pacing through the library then going down to the elevator. "You read them didn't you?" She catches up to him in time in the elevator as it lowered to the deeper, colder areas. They were going back and forth throughout the workshop until they finally reached the sleigh and the 5 reindeer on the base. "Of course I have....I gave you books and toys and hope that you're never alone" North pushed more toys and books inside the sacks that piled up the sleigh. Luckily the sleigh was bigger than any other sleigh she has ever seen, and maybe a long friend of hers would have admired it for a time. North then hopped into the sleigh, a yeti had just finished harnessing the snow reindeer into place. Elsa hopped on as well, taking a seat next to North. "So...why take me with you?" "To answer all of your questions, and to make sure your reindeer listens" Elsa stayed quiet, watching as North spun the globe before him and whipped the reins. Suddenly, the sleigh moved as fast as North could make with these tunnels. 

Speeding and whirling through the ice reminded her of what the inside of Ahtohallan looked like. A glacier. Yet this glacier was carved by workers -well Yetis and elves alike- who helped on creating the tunnel for the sleigh to gain a boost. She looked around as quick as she could, getting every glimpse of the tunnel as possible. Yey everything was too fast. They past pillars of hard wood towers, caves as high and dark as she's known them, columns of frozen water and ice in places that caves usually have. She gripped onto North's jacket from the surprise loop-de-loops he calls it, and a gush of cold wind blew into into her face. She opened her eyes, noticing she was clutching onto his fur coat tightly, and widened them. 

They were in air! They were flying! Her reindeer didn't melt from the sun's heat since she placed a coating of permafrost. The night sky and the aurora lights were shined brighter than she had imagined. It was purely beautiful. So magical and so otherworldly. Elsa breathed in the cool refreshing air, her fright replaced with one of pure delight, of peace and calm. She carefully released his shoulder and, getting a balance, spread her arms out to feel the freedom and magic in the air. 

Oh what magnificence. What realm has she crossed? Where was going now? She didn't know, and didn't likely care. The mountains, the countries, the clouds and the farther distant sun graced the scene of what was Earth. She would have never gone this high in her life, Gale didn't let her go this high up into the sky. so high that the sea floor was replaced by a sea of clouds, layers after layers. It was so beautiful, so blue and so magical. "Would you like to go to America?" "Hmm?" Elsa gracefully turned from the scenery to the Russian, who was staring at the globe before them both. "Sure..." North turned his sleigh towards Canada. 

It was quiet ride, and Elsa made sure her reindeer was in control, but she had confidence in herself that she knew her reindeer was going to be fine. "You asked on how I stopped aging" North suddenly began talking. "Uh. Yes..." "I was a human, orphaned and alone. Taken by Cossack and became a thief. I was chosen by Man in Moon to be guardian of children. That was a long, long time ago" "How old were you then? Before you became...this?" "...hmm...how old are you to get beard? 30? 28? Bah! It's all numbers anyway. But after becoming guardian, I transformed into jolly man! I didn't grow older!" North chuckled as they reached the city of Montreal. "Stay this way ever since!" "So, you became a spirit then? since you didn't grow older? Did you die?" "Ho! Nothing with Death! but I did have epic battle with giant bear! Good and bad times" North took a sack from the sleigh and quickly went from roof to roof in such a miraculous speed. How does he do that? Elsa watched in awe as this legend was jumping in and out of roofs like nothing. It had only took 2 minutes to go in every house and back to the sleigh. It was if time stopped for him. 

The next few trips were easy, there was no danger or damage until they were quickly caught in a blizzard, a blizzard that lasted for months. North held a small struggle to see through the dense clouds of this blizzard. "Is this normal for you?!" Elsa shouted at North from the sounds the winds were making. Such lonely and sorrowful howls. "Well! Sometimes! But this blizzard has gone on for a while! I kept track!" "How long has it been going on like this?!" "About 3 months!" "What?!" Another wind, snow after snow, cloud after cloud. It wasn't possible to see the top of the buildings. The storm just kept going, getting thicker and thicker as they went deeper and deeper. 

"I..I can't see anything! Elsa!" North yelled, tugging at the reins and fixing his Russian hat in place. "I can guide the storm away! That can at least help us get out of here!" Elsa raised her arms high in the air, moving them in a way to shift the storm clouds, but the snowstorm only grew wilder. She shot out an ice beam to the clouds around her, which at least gave them some opening in this chaotic mess. "North! Go up! I made an opening!" North obeyed, raising the riens upwards and over the sea of clouds. She saw how thick it was beside her. "We're, we're out" North huffed as he fixed his hat in the proper position, seeing the snow had covered most of his sleigh and the sacks of presents. He breathed. "Should we continue?" North asked, looking over to Elsa, who was staring at the thick clouds, then at her hands, then back at the clouds. 

"Elsa?" "I...I don't have control over it. I'm...I'm a spirit of nature, of winter. This is nature, this is winter. So why can't I move it away? Clouds are mist, water droplets and crystals. They contain ice, but..." She moved her palms around the thick clouds, hoping to collect the snow or hail that was contained within. Yet to no avail, the cloud didn't move or anything. Anything she made was in her control, maybe that includes the snow storms in nature? Or was that another spirit entirely? Did Mother Nature have a say in this? "Why can'y I-" 

There was a scream. A scream so loud that it shocked both spirits and reindeer to their senses. The scream came from below the sea of clouds, in the months long blizzard. It was the sound a boy, screaming endlessly. He sounded in pain. 

"North...we have to go back down there..." "But we can't see down there...it's dense" "I think my reindeer has a chance to see through it" North sighed "...Alright, you ride the reindeer. Take these sacks of presents to any chimney you see" He started handing her a few sacks of presents. "But how will I know which is right?" North winked to her. "I can feel it in my belly! You are fine! Now go Snow Maiden! go! Ahahaha!" North patted the girl's back as she leaped from one reindeer to the other until reaching hers. "What about the missing reindeer?!" 

"Don't worry about that! Get going! Ahaha!" North laughed joyously as Elsa untied the reins from the snow reindeer, letting it fly solo in the sky. Elsa watched North continue on without a problem with only 5 reindeer. He headed east. Elsa huffed and shook her head as she watched him turn and leave in seconds. "Unbelievable...and he said he needed another reindeer. And I'm not a snow maiden" She whipped the smaller leash of the deer and they headed back into the wild snow storm. 

Elsa headed into the storm, flying about to see two story buildings were buried below her. It was gong to take some time to get to all the houses and ones who believes in a holiday like this. Maybe there was no one who actually wanted to celebrate because it was blizzard after blizzard every year in this country. It was like a curse. A curse she wished would never happen in any other country. Well except the Northern areas. They were usually cold and snowy places. But was this is be expected? Elsa continued on, leaping in one house and coming out of another. She realized, after touching the 11 feet of snow covered streets, that she really did look like a snow maiden. Blended in so very easily and one with the snow. 

After finally placing the last gifts in the houses, which she was glad this wasn't her actual job, Elsa walked out into the blizzard to her reindeer. "Alright, I'm done with all of them. Let's head back to North's-" She stopped in her tracks, hearing the screaming again, the screaming of a boy in pain and desperation. He was here, somewhere close to her in the blizzard. She didn't know why she was drawn to this voice, but there was this...calling that she needed to make sure that everyone was okay, that this boy was okay. 

Elsa left her reindeer where it was and continued on west of the town, the screaming grew quieter, harder to hear in the howling of the winds. The howling grew louder as if to replace his crying. Or the winds _were_ his crying, his loneliness echoed in the wind and storm. Elsa couldn't help but be empathetic, seeing the emptiness and the storm around her blind her sight. The screaming had turn to wailing, and then turned to quiet sobs as she urged herself to run quicker to the boy. 

_I can hear you. I can sense you there. It's going to be alright. You're going to be fine._

Why was she... _desperate_ to go to a crying soul? Was she going crazy? Why did no-one hear him? Why was it so _loud_ in her ears? 

Then she heard his voice, crying like a normal boy, weeping like a normal child. She stopped in her tracks, and carefully stepped by an ally way between two brick buildings. The whole area had been covered in a blue sheet of ice. Icicles hanging from fallen wires above and popping out from the brick walls and snow. There he was. Curled in on himself, hugging his knees. A brown cloak covering him from the cold. White hair that could've easily blended in with the blizzard. Trousers, ripped on the ends and coiled with straps. A shepherd's crook was beside him on the wall. He was there, his face buried in his arms, crying quietly. Wasn't he screaming before? 

Elsa carefully took a step closer, the winds of the storm grew. The blizzard just continued on while she looked down to him, her shadow over him, but he didn't see her. He was too tied up in his own questionable sorrow to notice anyone around. Then he looked up to face the icey brick wall. She saw his eyes, a deep blue, tears falling down, freezing as they hit the floor. A pale face, similar to her own but not quite alive. 

This was her moment to speak. 

"..are you alright?" Her voice was kind, soft and un-startling to the ears of many, but to him it was an alarm. It was an alarm that woke him from his woeful scene. His eyes went wide, turned his head to see a girl looking down upon him. Her hair flowing gracefully in the harsh blizzard. Her white and diamond patterned dress untouched by the icicles that laid before them. He jumped back, it was a reflex, but he didn't get up from the snow covered grown. He was staring at her in a mixture of emotions. Shock, Fright, Awe, and Relief. Elsa blinked, her hands rubbing each other against her chest. "I..I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you" She continued with that careful voice, as if to not scare a child. 

He gulped, taking his crook and aiming it at her. His shaking was visible, his frightened stare was loud and clear. He was afraid. 

Yet that didn't stop her from helping him. She held her palms up to him, signalling no harm. Her kind smile never disappeared. "I...I'm here to help you. I'm not going to hurt you..." The tip of his shepherd crook touched the tip of her fingers. There was a sudden jolt of electrical burning cold she never felt before in the staff. Was he magical? It certainly felt like it. "Y..you can-can see me?" Elsa nodded. "You can hear me?" She nodded again. He lowered his staff to the ground. "You were screaming before, it sounded like you were in pain...so I was looking for you and...wanted to know if you were alright in this blizzard" She took a step closer, seeing his fearful expression soften into one of confusion. "N-no one...N-no one can- I- tried..." His voice quaked. Tears swelled in his eyes again. Elsa knelt down to his level, since he wasn't getting up anytime soon. "Tried what?" 

"I...tried everything...yelling...freezing, screaming..they. They won't listen. They go right through me! I..." He placed his hands over his hair, tears rolling down. "I...know i should be...I should be used to it but..." He sniffed, his eyes shut tight. Elsa moved in a little closer to him, reaching out to him. "What is it? No one can see you? How long have you been here...sitting here?" 

He opened his eyes to see her in front of him, showing him that she wasn't a threat. She was there to help. "...Who are you?" He asked her finally. "Someone you can talk to" "Someone I can...talk to?" Elsa nodded. "That would keep you company, not be alone anymore" she responded. "H-how do you know I'm alone?" "The screaming, the yelling, the loneliness in your eyes...you can tell me" 

The boy breathed slowly, his eyes were closed. His expression was calm. The snow suddenly froze around them, the wind ceased howling. The icicles around them shrunk back into the walls. It was peaceful, quiet, calm as if the storm was connected with his emotions. "I woke up one day at winter, and I realized that people never notice me, ignored me, walk right through me. I checked for a pulse, nothing but cold. I've...been like this for years. _It's_ been like this for years...no one talks to me...and I...I don't know why I'm like this. But can I make frost, I make it snow. I don't know what's happening. I can't interact with anyone. I can't save anyone. I just let them have fun. To distract my life away. I didn't want to hurt people, but then apparently I did. I _did_ hurt people, I let them freeze and let them die. Then I just didn't care about them anymore"

Elsa could feel the snow starting to fall again. "I don't need this...I don't...why? Why do I even exist in the first place? Why can't I just be noticed by you humans? Am I destined to live my whole life like this? Make it snow for the kids? Accidentally killing people in the process? What am I?" He finally looked up to her, begging for an answer. "I...I think you're a gift" Elsa carefully took his hands in hers, which made him gasp in shock. "A gift with a purpose. A person with the power of winter...I think that's amazing" She caressed his hands, moving her hands underneath his. His palms a lot bigger then hers. He finally sat up straight and looked down at her action, questioned. The snow that was flurrying halted in mid air. "Show me what you can do" "Huh?" His eyes gazed up to her, who was only looking at his palms. He glanced back down again and inhaled.

What appeared on his palms, were trails and trails of ice crystals, packed into fern like patterns, spreading out independently from each other. A snowflake pattern appeared in his palm, 6 sided and detailed. He chuckled awkwardly. "It's all I got...really" "It's beautiful" she awed. "You...really think so?" He glanced back up to her who was still busy admiring the different frost patterns creating a snowflake in his palm. She nodded. His grin widened. "I've heard some people say they were pretty, but they ignore it like it's nothing. I don't know why plants of all things" "It's a sign of wildlife. Maybe you were meant to... be wild and fun for others. Decorate the world with your patterns" 

"I-I guess so. I can be pretty fun, but" he watched her remove her hands from underneath his and stood up. Her hand out stretched to him. "Come on, lets get you out of here" his blue eyes shifted from her hand to her eyes and back, finally taking her hand. She helped him up from the ground and guided him out of the allyway. The blizzard still frozen in time. He was taller then her, four inches, and his clothes were poorer than the poeple she's seen. 

"What's your name?" Elsa asked, not letting go of his hand. "...Jack.." "Jack. You're not alone. Believe me. I can tell you that much, but I know. Deep down-" she placed one hand over the other, looking directly into his icy blue eyes "-there _is_ someone out there who is in the same situation as you, and that no one is ever truly alone. Remember that okay?" she lifted both his hands to her lips. Kissed his knuckles softly before letting them go. Jack only stared at her, watching her leave on a snow reindeer with empty sacks in her hand. "I think you could work on your powers more. Maybe get some new clothes. But in the future, we'll meet again" she took hold of the leash. "How-How can you know for sure?" 

"I have a gut feeling" with that, Jack watched her leave, fly of on this snow reindeer out of the blizzard without looking back or saying another word. 

Jack took a good look of his hands. Wondering why she kissed them and thinking if she was just an illusion. Though if she was his figmant of imagination, her words soothed him. He took his shepherd staff and walked away, a smile kept on his face as he traveled deeper into his storm. There was someone out there in the same place as him.

That he was never alone. Not at all.


	13. A Blackened Sea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack discovers an old ship that leads to the glacier.

[Enchanted Forest, Norway]

[December 28, 2027]

The delicate swaying of the colorful wild plants unharmed became stiffened, silently beginning to frost. The pink magenta of the flowers covered in swirling patterns that could equal to frozen vegetation. The further he walked into this foggy forest, revealing the fiery plants of the fields unstained by technology, the more relaxed he became. Freezing the dirt and grass below him as he walked, swaying his staff to the endless amounts of pink fireweeds around him. Whistling to himself a familiar song as he carelessly twirled the crook around from one hand to the other. Baby Tooth hummed around the plants, flying with the butterflies and enjoying herself. She was having fun with the insects that resided here, landing on the flowers and dodging the blasts of frost that blindly came her way. 

Jack's lingering thoughts on where the birds were hiding in these trees were disrupted by Baby Tooth, who was giving him a stern look. She wad half covered in his frost, but that didn't stop her from flying. She squeaked to him in anger. Jack smiled and glanced away "Oops. Heheh. Sorry about that! Forgive me~?" His smile grew, showing his snow white teeth to her in a playing manner. It wasn't exactly an apology, with him battering his eyes like that and his head titled to the side, but it worked. 

Baby Tooth rolled her eyes and squeaked to him, gesturing to thaw the frost off of her. After testing his creative potential and prowess for years, his frost thickened and was more difficult to brush off these days. Baby tooth sat on his burning cold palm, which after 27 years she thought would get used to, and watched Jack thaw the frost and ice crystals from her back and feathered crown. The little fairy hovered back to the unfrosted parts of the fireweeds to search for any more insects that were hiding about. The winter spirit watched her fly around and around from flower to flower, searching for something she had seen earlier in their journey to the Dark Sea. 

"Baby Tooth! Don't stray too far! What are you looking for anyway?" Jack stop frosting the flowers carelessly, using his staff as a walking stick and followed the little fairy as she fluttered with more speed to the direction they were going. He didn't run after her when she hid herself in the pink of the flowers, he didn't run after her when she squeaked louder and jumped out of the field of pink. He chuckled at the sight of her having fun in the flowers. Even though this fairy was a tooth collector, there was still that connection of being part hummingbird. A side of her that likes adventuring into fields of flowers and being apart of the wild. Not to mention being half insect is a fairy thing. 

Jack placed his hand in his pocket, grinning to see the little fairy dive back in and come back out to only dive back in again. Looking excited and playful to...well whatever she was playing with. What was she playing with it? "Baby Tooth, who are you playing with?" Jack walked closer, noticing her eyes were locked on a certain creature. She twirled around above it, and to his surprise, the creature jumped up to try and catch her. It was a color of blue and pink, almost camouflaged in the fireweeds circling around them. The creature made its own noise as it jumped repeatedly from the ground and over the flowers, unaware of Jack's presence. 

He titled his head, arching an eyebrow as he walked closer to where the two were playing, still unaware. The fairy was still playing with the creature until the sound of Jack's footsteps alarmed it. The creature stopped and its pupils slit in alarm as it growled and ran away from the scene. Jack pushed the pink flowers aside and showed his curiousness to Baby Tooth, who looked well beyond annoyed. "Who were you playing-- what?? Don't look at me like that. What did I do?" Jack straitened himself up, feeling the little fairy twirl around him and peck his hoodie and skin while chirping in frustration. "Okay okay! I'm sorry I'm sorry! Ow! I said I'm sorry!" Jack apologized, shielding himself from the incoming pecks and tugs from the fairy. 

From a well made hiding spot, the blue salamander watched, eyes alert and growling lowly. The pink streak on his back that held the fire symbol started to burn with pink fire. Watching the intruder as it struggled with the fairy bird. Why was there an intruder here? Was he apart of the war? The soldiers that harmed her? For so long, he never encountered anyone to get this far north. He used his power for a defense and stayed in this uncharted part of the forest after Elsa let him leave. He wasn't apart of the glacier, so he let the wind spirit take him back here just in case of future intruders wanting to take her away. Years and years he had fought and guarded these uncharted parts. Warning those men of what he was, sending them back south of where they came. So far he never encountered any more of those soldiers, and he protected what was deemed rightfully his part of the forest. He did so successfully and wasn't afraid of burning the area around him to force them far away in fear.

For years it was quiet, very quiet with where he resided. Until he encountered this...fairy bird he never seen before. The bird was so chirpy and happy to see him there. He warned her with his power of course, to scare her off because he's never seen something like her before. His burning body did alarm her, even scare her, but it wasn't long until she came back to him. Gaining his attention and pointing to a pile of snow on the ground. His fiery demeanor resided and titled his head, glaring at her who nodded and patted the snow. As if she knew he liked snow. She chirped to him and sat down on it, waiting. The salamander was confused, he started to talk to her in his own noises and she surprisingly understood him. 

She's a friend, she doesn't want to harm him. The salamander jumped into the pile of snow and the sizzling and steam appeared from his body. The two became strange friends afterwards before she was called and had to leave him with his pile of snow. He wondered where the snow came from. It never became winter here and it was always spring, as if time and seasons never mattered in this forest. 

Now here she was again, in the fields of pink fireweeds and swarming around this intruder angrily. Was she fighting him? Why was she so angry? Bruni continued to watch them both, waiting for a chance to know if this intruder was a killer or a friend. 

It didn't take long to come to the conclusion that he was a foe. The intruder forcefully took the fairy by the tips of her wings and brought her close to his face. The intruder's face was stern. The first thing Bruni thought was he was going to eat her, and his flames grew brighter, fearful and angry. 

"Baby Tooth! I told you I'm-" 

A sudden trail of pink fire circled around them both, catching the flowers and tall grass around them on fire. Jack and Baby Tooth panicked as the fire grew and a pink fireball was jumping from tree to flower to grass and back. The circle of fire expanded higher and higher, expecting to scare off the white haired intruder. 

"Get in my hood!" Jack placed her inside his jacket hood while she chirped to him in panic. Jack clenched his staff with both hands and began to blast frost and snow everywhere, trying to catch the quickly moving fireball as well as stopping the fire from spreading even further. Yet the blazing fireball continued to burn even quicker and faster than he could frost. Jack turned every which way to find the tiny fireball but all he could see was pink fire surrounding him. Blocking his vision to see further out. The smoke coming from the blades of grass and flowers made seeing even worse. At least it didn't merge with the fog, the fog was separate on its own. After a couple of minutes, the trees began to timber, the leaves were on fire and the fields were burning. Being nimble as he was, skipped and dodged the pink fire, stepping with bare toes on the remaining uncharted ground, carefully not setting his feet on fire by refreezing the ground below. After freezing a certain spot to look for the source, apparently his cape was caught on fire a quarter way down. 

Clenching his jaw, hearing the chirping of the fairy and the fire getting more chaotic now, Jack closed his eyes and quickly flew upwards into the black smoke. Bruni stopped in his tracks, his fiery head tilted, his body heavily breathing out in fear. The intruder can fly? Was he kidnapping her somewhere?! 

Bruni growled, the pink fire around him only grew and the chaos that ensured continued. Then suddenly, before Bruni thought the intruder had escaped his wrath, the man fell back down, his staff glowing in hand, and landed directly on the pink fire. Instantly freezing the area below him in cold swirling ice magic. The ground along with the flowers and trees froze instantly in a chilling degree of slick ice and snow. The pink fire vanquished in an instant. The fireweeds that were left half burning froze. Icicles and frost spikes formed from them as well as around his feet. The ash was covered by deep snow that landed only seconds later, absorbing anything that was on fire. 

Bruni was left with a blast of cold wind hitting him and knocking him down from a tree. He was still burning and he ran to hide in the pretty frozen fireweeds. What was he?! He was not like any other man with machines. He didn't have a machine to begin with! The white haired intruder sighed, freezing the tips of his burnt cape with his hand. Tiny bits of smoke escaped from the deep snow as the white haired man sat down and took his cape off of him. He was preoccupied in patting his cape. Bruni watched him, his slit pupils expanding wider as he took a few steps closer. Seeing him humming a tune as he scanned his cape for any black burned marks. The staff he held was on the ground, covered in a cold white. Bruni thought he would run away and get scared, leaving the fairy bird alone, but the man wasn't scared at all. 

The ground had turned to ice below his feet and Bruni felt very...comfortable, happy yet confused. How did this intruder make ice? Or something pretty chilling as this? Was he just like her? Bruni went from looking at the fern swirling patterns of the ice floor to the man some feet before him. The man huffed. "Great. Its ruined, and i just decorated it so nicely to match!" The chirping of the bird fairy caught his guard. She flew over to the man. "Yeah okay. Maybe that was too much. I always wanted to do that, you can't blame me" He shrugged with a pout. Baby Tooth crossed her arms and rolled her eyes at his remark.

Then her attention was brought to the blue salamander that was trying to hide in between the iced flowers. Baby Tooth perked up and quickly flew to where Bruni was. Jack followed, his head spun to where she flew and saw the tiny creature's scared look decrease at the sight of her. 

"Is that your friend? You can come out now. It's okay, I won't hurt you" Jack smiled reassuringly as he saw the salamander glance from him to the fairy, who nodded reasuringly, and back to the white haired man. Bruni's careful walk quickened into a run, an excited look on his face instead of fear as he jumped into the out stretched palm of the man. Jack winced, juggling the burning hot salamander in his hands. "Hot hot hot hot!" Which Bruni thought it was more of a game to him as he squealed in his own little noises, jumping in the air every time the man tossed him by contact. 

"You think it's a game?" Jack asked, finally getting used to his heat and tossing him up in the air anyway. The salamander responded with his tongue sticking out to the man, who stuck his own tongue out playfully. "I guess you do! Haha! You're a cute little fella. Was that you causing the fire?" The salamander responded with his back trailing with pink magenta fire, proudly showing off to him. The fire instantly sizzles away in his chilling hands. Jack chuckled as he saw the salamander roll around in his palms, happily looking up to him. 

Jack grinned. Who knew there was a creature like this? "You like the cold huh?" He sprinkled a couple of snowflakes from his fingertips and handed it to the salamander, who eagerly reached for them with his tongue and ate them. "I wasn't going to harm you you know. I'm just passing by here to go the Dark- wait what's that?" Jack took a look at the symbol engraved on the salamander's back. He scanned his back closely, seeing one of the diamond patterns that kept appearing in the waters. Strange. 

"...I've seen that symbol before...were you the one that kept calling me?!" Jack's eyes widened in anticipation, hoping he wouldn't have to hear any more of his sister. The salamander titled his head questionably, which made Jack sigh. "I guess not..." Jack stood up, his damaged cape already over his shoulders and staff in hand. "You have a name little guy?" The salamander jumped down his palm, spreading his limbs out and landed on the thick ice. Slipping lightly as he walked, making letters out of fire, melting half of his ice. 

"Hmm. Bruni. Well Bruni, wanna come with us to the sea? I mean you're a salamander why would you go to the sea?" Jack glanced up in thought. Suddenly he felt Bruni crawl back up to him by the staff, hearing the sizzling mixture of ice and fire as he halted upon the tip to lanp on his white fluffy hair. Surprisingly cold, Bruni patted his feet around, twirling in the same spot to only sit upon his head. Jack glanced up to his bangs and sighed "Of all places you choose the hair? Well, I can't blame you, I have gorgeous locks" he posed, flicking his bangs about. 

Baby Tooth rolled her eyes again and sat on his right shoulder as they continued on, freezing and thawing the area around him beforehand.

* * *

The dark sea continued to sway about, thrashing violently as it always has. Years and years it continued to collide with the pebbles and sands of the beach. For years it continued to hail, continued to fall underwater, collect themselves at the bottom of the ocean, which was too deep for the white to be seen. Nokk continued to run, dive and force this dark copy of himself to go back into the depth of the ocean. The yellow eyes of this shadow horse continued to taunt him in the darkness. The light of neither the sun nor the moon reflected the shine of it's eyes in the dark. Those yellow eyes this horse possessed held it's own light from within, like it held its own magic. Magic that he was aware of, but never been in contact with it before. The waves grew higher and higher, reaching for the shadow horse, planning to engulf it. He had to show who was boss in these parts of the ocean. He needed to take down this impostor before it could reach the island, or wherever it may head to. 

Nokk was also aware of the ocean's strange gradual change from a transparent blue to a thick black sprinkled with white hail as every sun circled around them. At night the ocean waters would always reflect the sky, but now the sea was just a void, covered and blocked by snowfall every so winter. The fog that Elsa agreed to recreate did not cover the sky nor sun and stars. He didn't know why the fog never spread to the sea, but he did know that humans never crossed these waters in years after she became injured. She never told him what injured her either, it was a complete mystery to him and it stayed that way for all he cared. The tall waves that hid in the winter clouds cascaded down to the shadow horse, who successfully and effortlessly blended into the waves of darkness. 

This fight had been going on for 15 years, and neither had noticed the change of time as they battled between night and day, season after season without stopping. Nokk had never lost any battles with humans nor the drowned in his spiritual existence, and he never met anything like this...this mimicry he was forced to fight. Every attack he made with the sea, this shadow would find a way out and attack him with it's own body of black water. This creature saw him as predictable, wave after wave it was the same, attack after attack it was easily countered. Yet Nokk never wavered, never tamed nor controlled, true he wasn't a war horse, but he is apart of nature, more deadlier then those ridiculous wars. Another kick, another bite, another thrash was thrown between both of these creatures as they continued on, trying to outdo one another. Not one was exhausted, and not one was cowardice enough to turn tail and run.

Yet no one was expecting the waves and hail to heavily freeze mid battle. 

* * *

Pushing a broken branch away from his face, Jack continued to walk on the dirt path with Baby Tooth and Bruni all over him, playing and conversing with each other. Bruni, being the playful rascal that he is, kept crawling and scurrying around his body for fun. Jumping from his staff to his head and eventually tickling his skin as he scurried under his hoodie.Jack jumped "AH-B-Bruni what-Not there! G-get out! What are you-!" The winter spirit flailed his arms and hands around his body, trying to catch the salamander, but ended up laughing from this creature's tiny legs right on his skin. Letting his staff fall to the ground and Baby Tooth hover by to watch the strange dance he was doing, Jack tried to catch the little salamander as quickly as he could, seeing Bruni pop his head out to face the winter spirit and crawling outside to the pocket. "B-Bruni! Hey get out of-Hey!" Jack, while distracted by the little burns Bruni made on his cape, saw the little salamander take something out his pocket and ran away with it. It was the tooth box. 

"The tooth box! Bruni I need that!" Jack and Baby tooth panicked as they chased after the little salamander for about a mile away from the birch trees. As the winter spirit was distracted, his eyes to the tooth box and the salamander, Baby Tooth noticed something in the distance that was getting closer to them. It was a ship, a very worn out ship, rusted and hollow and probably very old. She saw Bruni run, dodging the beams of frost that came his way, and ended up going into the massive hole of the worn ship. Jack stopped in his tracks, his focus on the getting the tooth box back shifted into a sudden awe. Baby Tooth was hovering next to him. 

"Whoa...How long has this been here?" Jack jumped down the hill and landed right in front of the giant hole of the ship, examining and touching the wood around him. Though when he began tapping on the old wood, bugs crawled out from holes and spider webs shown themselves in the inside. Baby Tooth chirped, swiveling her head, looking everywhere for the little troublemaker. Jack continued to walk inside, admiring and looking around the damaged ship, seeing the dust particles in the air as the light shined through. It was old, so very old that the next thing he touched fell apart and broke into pieces. Though when he touched a few objects and items, frost patterns appeared and the collected dust was preserved. Baby Tooth's chirping alarm him and he turned around to see her staring at an ice statue. An ice statue of two people embracing for the water's impact. Jack took a few steps closer, his blue eyes focusing on the two faces, they looked....familiar in a way.... 

Jack slowly placed his hand onto the water of the ice statue, which glistened in the light. He stared at it, questioning of how long this statue has been here. Who created this thing? Was this their ship? What were they...searching for? 

The glistening of the ice statue continued to draw him in, the two people who clung to each other for their lives met their deadly fate in the sea. He sighed, looking down at his cold hand touching the equally cold statue of ice and water. "I'm...sorry" He looked back up to the two. "For your loss...I guess" he glanced away, not knowing what else to say really. Well, what would you say to an ice statue of two complete strangers who died in the ocean? He didn't even know them, and yet they, well they died. "I mean...I don't know you...*sigh* Great. I'm talking to an ice statue, loneliness am I right?" 

_Go to far and you'll be drowned_

Jack swiftly turned around, his staff glowing blue streaks, ready to hit whoever was talking. "Who's there?" His eyes didn't see anything, only the old wood and walls of the wrecked ship. Still he moved around, staff out and ready to strike. Then he heard something rolling and quickly aimed his staff at baby tooth, who blinked twice in surpise and was perching herself ontop of a scroll. Jack lowered his guard at the sight of her and took a breathe. "Oh. Baby tooth. Uh Sorry. Got scared for a second there. Haha" he rubbed the back of his neck as the little fairy titled her head in confusion. 

"A-Anyway. What's that?" Baby tooth hovered above the scroll, which was still surprisingly intact and tied with a red seal of a flower. Jack placed the staff against the wooden drawers and took the scroll in hand. The dust was still there, but then flew into the air as his touch frosted the seal and he opened the scroll. Baby tooth curiously took a look at the paper as Jack furrowed his eyebrows and squinted his eyes. 

It was a paper full of hexagons and diamonds he would never in his existence understand. "Uh. What does this mean?" He scanned the paper and glanced to baby tooth, who shrugged. Like she ever knew. The spirit looked at the scroll again and his eyes lighted up. "Hey maybe I could tell this to Jamie! He loves this kind of stu-" his expression faded "...Right, Jamie *sigh*. He doesn't see me anymore. I don't why he doesn't see me, but...I'm sure when we get back to him, I'll give this to him as a gift! For his...uh...27th? Birthday?" He gripped the page in his hand, the frost expanding from his palms to the page as he stared motionless. Almost as if he zoned out to anywhere but here. Baby tooth chirped to him in question, which brought him back to reality. Jack blinked, actually seeing the hexagon symbols printed on the page with scribbled writings on the side, and closed the stroll back up. "We should- we should go find Bruni, he could be anywhere with that box" Jack tighten the scroll with his hands and placed it in his pocket. He took his staff in hand and his attention was caught back to the other scrolls and papers laying out of the desk. Jack leaned over to see an old map that showed where the ship was headed for originally. The kingdom of Arendelle was drawn in the south, the Northudra above them, and a dotted trail with a ship was headed north. Really, _really_ up north. What was usually shown as the arctic sea was drawn over, showing land with a river and the name of that land. Ahtohallan. 

The date of the map written on the far upper left corner printed the roman numbers of 1840. This map was created in 1840! Yet it still looked so inaccurate to today's modern maps. "1840. Amazing to find a ship wreck like this. So they were headed to that glacier? Wait..." Jack took the map in his hands, bringing it closer to his face and seeing the location of Ahtohallan. His eyes widened. "You mean...it's _that_ close...that close to the North Pole?" He placed his hand on his head, looking at Baby Tooth and then back to the map. "I mean...I think I've been there! Right? Or maybe I passed it and this map is all wrong. I mean look at it!" He showed the map to the small fairy, who backed away from the closeness. "It's so inaccurate! Norway is so much longer than this, so is Sweden! Well...it makes sense that maps were distorted but...It's that close Baby Tooth and I never even knew!" Jack beamed at the realization that maybe she was closer to North's Temple then he realized, that he completely missed her and...never knew of her existence until now. 

He thought of taking the map with him, but he placed it back on the desk with the other dust covered objects. There were plenty of better maps out there he would always check out, some distorted more than others. Jack and Baby tooth were going to search around the wrecked ship for the salamander, but they didn't need to. Bruni had already shown himself when a ball of pink fire caught his attention. He was outside, sitting on a mossy stone and clawing at the tooth box, not to mention biting it. 

"Whoa whoa whoa don't bite it-" the winter spirit quickly flew out of the ship to grab the tooth box from the salamander. Who quickly sprinted away from them to the direction they were headed. "-and he's gone" Jack lowered his shoulders with a huff while Baby Tooth hovered about. "Please tell me those boxes are fire proof" he glanced at her hopeful, who chirped with a nod. "Good. Cause I do _not_ want to deal with Toothiana knocking my teeth out" Jack began chasing after him again. 

Bruni continued to run with the tooth box in his mouth, crawling over rocks, grass and sand as he dodged every ice attack that came from the guardian. Closer and closer he got to the beach, the more the box was slipping from his grasp. He didn't know why the box was glowing, but the first thing he noticed when he saw the box was a smaller picture of Elsa. He wanted to give it her, but not without leading him directly to the Dark Sea first. Of course he knew the location of the water spirit's home, he just wanted to play with this winter spirit. Since, well certainly Nokk didn't want to play with him, and the giants were too preoccupied taking down those impostors. Gale wouldn't mind playing with him, she always loved flinging him in air! Though now she was nowhere in sight, or maybe she was. No one actually knew where she is at any moment. The spirits always hide themselves quite well, but Elsa knew where they were at times.

He missed her, but he couldn't go anywhere out of the forest nor to the sea to reach her. 

"Wait! I got an ice statue of my sister! So much better than a box, you could eat this one!" Jack shouted from behind. Baby tooth chirped to him. "What? It's good for him! Its nutritious for salamanders!" The fairy rolled her eyes to glare at him. "Okay maybe not, but animals eat ice don't they? I've seen it first hand!" Baby tooth just sighed as Jack flew from his spot and landed right in front of the salamander. Whose back lit up from the scare. The box was glowing again. 

"Okay little fella. Doesn't this look better to eat than that?" Jack shook the ice statue in front of the salamander, who just scanned the ice statue while the flames on his back decreased. "Its looks good right? Crunchy, cold, pretty to the eyes. Nutritious" he kept taunting the frosted ice statue to Bruni. Bruni lowered the box to the sand without wavering his eyes from the statue. They were some 20 feet away from the dark sea. Apparently the dark sea was...well darker then the name implied it to be. And the strange part was that it was snowing hail over there while over here it was still spring. 

The salamander's attention went from the ice statue to the ocean, which thrashed about calmly on the beach. He looked back at the small statue the guardian held and made a noise saying he wanted it. Jack giggled at the sight, but before he could give up the statue, he heard her words again. 

_Jack...Jackson_...

The spirit took a look at his sister's statue. Nothing but ice and a smiling face. He huffed and threw the ice statue away to Bruni, who caught it in his mouth and turned his head to the sea, which Jack finally noticed. 

Taking the glowing box in his hand, looking at the blue diamond in the front, he placed the tooth box back in his pocket. Jack didn't take his eyes off of the sea waters and hail storm that occurred. He continued walking closer, the winds of the sea getting stronger and colder. Baby tooth shivered violently from the combination. Jack didn't feel a thing, and the look in his far away eyes didn't break away from the sea. "You stay here Baby Tooth. It's warmer back there" the fairy widened her eyes and wanted to retort, but Jack didn't take one look at her. "You'll be safer here, with Bruni okay? I have to go alone" he patted her head and before she left, she saw a touch a fear in his eyes. The dark ocean water moved harshly about the sand. The hail storm blocking some of the ocean from his sight. 

As he walked closer to finally touch the tip of the black water, he heard those noises again. The chanting, the drumming, the music, and his sister's above all. Yet he continued on the water, freezing the surface in his thick ice as he walked. The high wind and storm pushing him back, or at least trying to, as he froze an incoming wave in mid air. 

Ways away from the beach, Jack was already on top of a rock, his eyes still distant and pinched with fear. The ocean indeed scared him. The pond was his death bed, and the ocean was a cemetery. An obvious difference. Even so, that fear didn't stop him. A huge tidal wave approached him, threatening and black as it could be. He saw it, in the wave before him was the snowflake symbol, gigantic compared to his tiny figure and gleaming with all its might as if taunting. Waiting for his move as the wave cascaded down upon the man. 

"Whatever you want from me, I've had enough! Just show me who are! Show me where you're hiding!" 

The coldness of his staff increased, it glowed an icy blue and with both staff and hand, he froze the entire wave. It didn't move, but the symbol of the snowflake shined within so did his reflection. The wave was that close to him when he saw the familiarity in the ice. There were dots of black, glimmering blue and winter hail. It was all too familiar. 

He touched the frozen wave and it cracked rapidly to pieces like icy glass, falling back into the sea. Jack felt the gush of sea wind hit him from beyond, a sign to continue moving. So instead of treading through the ocean, he flew some ways above it, seeing that the water was reaching for him as if they knew he was there. He froze a couple of wave tips, used the hail as a surface when one would grab him back down to the sea. He tried vanquishing the storm, but it just continued, and saw the hail turn black as it reached the surface of the water. 

Halting the winter storm helped somewhat, since he could see where he was going. To think that he completely missed this chaos when he flew to Norway made him feel kinda, well kind of stupid. The hailstorm was actually surprisingly close to the sea and he would normally fly past storms that were too close to the ground. That was his excuse to not go into fogs, storms, tornadoes and what have you, even if the storms weren't created by yours truly. 

He flew north, where that map said it would be, the direction to the North Pole. His destination was Ahtohallan, but he wasn't entirely sure where that glacier was located since the seas were so wild and brash here. Then he heard the noises and voices again, getting louder and softer as he flew in many directions like a radar. His thoughts were whether he should fly towards the increasing noises or away from them. 

No, he shouldn't fly away from them. He's been doing that for years, running away. Getting lost and being forgotten in a crowd of strangers, making havoc, not taking responsibility and being so...alone. 

Jack shook his head, this wasnt the right time for moping! The storm began again. The hail swiftly passing by him as if he controlled it and didn't want to be hit. The spirit stayed in the air, looking below at the dark and murky water. He could see them again, shinning below his figure, 3 or 4 of them huddled close. The wind howling as he stared down at the snowflakes, the hail doing nothing to them but circle around the symbols. 

_Jack...Jackson_...

He scoffed. "You're really...annoying you know that? Why chase me around everywhere? Am I that important you? Sis?" The symbol didn't respond to him, but the howling of the cruel sea did. "I didn't...I didn't want to get away from you, but just show me where you are already. I'm pissed off as it is" the symbols continued to shine, taunting him. Waves continued to crash, water continued to move rapidly as they do and hail continued to fall through them. Jack sighed, glanced up at the storm clouds then back to a blackened wave of water that was about to engulf him. The snowflakes being carried with it. Eyes as blue as his ice magic, or blue as the ocean was seen through the murky black void of water. They locked eyes only for a few seconds before the wave crashed them both into the sea.

Darkness was the first thing he saw, and water was the last thing he wanted to be under. Especially arctic sea water that could maybe be -62 degrees and in the mist of a battle between one mythical water spirit and its own shadowy counterpart. The darkness around him wasn't what he expected, nor the first encounter of this horse that seemed transparent in this dark place. The only light underneath this ocean were the balls of hail and the shining snowflakes that floated with him. He was currently holding his breath, able to move despite the shocking cold, and felt two heavy hooves of the horse drag him down, deeper and deeper into the depths of the ocean. Maybe this is what he was afraid of, drowning again in a larger mass of water, unable to resurface and just be lost forever, no one ever finding him again. His eyes opened immediately, seeing the blue eyes of the spirit in anger, unaware of the shining snowflakes that drifted with them both. Jack quickly took hold of both of his legs and froze them. Cracks of frost rapidly expanding and engulfing the horse in ice.

This was enough time for him to swim back up to the surface of the sea, gasping for air as the waves and wind continued on howling. Seeing the snowflakes shining by him, drifting with him and not leaving his side, he slapped a hand over one snowflake in pure frustration to only feel the black and blue water. The water he slapped instantly froze over, the thick plate of ice was useful for him to hold onto as the waves swayed by again and the hail cascaded around him. Jack gasped for air again and again as the water repeatedly splashed over him, making him unable to fly out of there. Pushing his bangs out of sight, he saw another snowflake appear next to him in the water, pulsing it's light. Jack clenched his teeth at the sight of it, his eyebrows furrowed as he pointed directly at the snowflake.

"I hate you"

Only seconds after was he yanked back down into the menacing depths of the ocean by his cape. 


	14. Just a River of Ice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack fights his copy, Elsa asks the glacier for help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise! This is my late Valentine's day gift I guess.

Jack felt the water and wind sweep him under the water, the vortex of this nightmarish cyclone dragging him down to the depths of the sea, not really knowing how deep it truly is. Holding his breath even though he already didn't need to breath. Jack still seeing the snowflakes being caught with him, his own head spinning as he saw in the whirlpool eyes of yellow magic. He blinked, the yellow eyes vanished in the darkness and he still felt himself being drafted away with the vortex. Grasping his hands in the water, a sliver of hope to feel the carved and twisted wood of his staff somewhere, he felt something ruff and colder than the water he was in. The black beast with the yellow eyes appeared before him, trying to hurt him in someway because the look on those golden eyes told that it wasn't delighted to see him. Jack still didn't let go of his breath when he was face to face with this shadow beast. Apparently this animal didn't know who Jack was, and had this urge to drown him in the same manner as the water spirit. 

Cornered by the combination of the swirling dark waters, the thrashing of its solid hoofs crushing him down and the annoying shining snowflakes dancing among them, everything had slowed down. At least for him. When his blue eyes widened with a flash lighter than the beast, and hearing his own heartbeat as he focused intensely on those golden eyes. His hands able to take hold of those solid black legs, the vortex had slowed down in his field of vision. The snowflakes around him pulsing like his own heartbeat, hearing the muffling of his sister's voice echoed in his ears. Suddenly he was at the tipped end of the whirlpool when he closed his eyes and decided to release his breath. As he did, he inhaled the dark and cold liquid, un-bothered by it now, and exhaled an icy blue breath of magic into the whirlpool that was expanding around the creature. The beast never expected sudden bright flashes of light, cold, chaotic and frosted spires that danced with the vortex come from such a man. The yellow eyed horse tried swimming away from the rapidly freezing cyclone into the darkness but wasn't successful enough, being shut in and circled by the prickles and daggers of frost. The shadowed horse stood out from what used to be pure blackness to now a blinding white. It glanced below to see this powerful man clasped his hands together, the edges of his fingertips flashing with ice and touched the frozen tips. It was unable to see anything as the ice around it grew thicker and whiter. It was too bright! Too powerful that the cyclone pushed the creature out from the ocean and into the snowstorm above. The cyclone's icy webbed interior crawled outwards onto the surface of the black ocean. As the horse landed, expecting to hit the waters it created to hide itself, its hardened black hooves felt the thick sheet of ice below it instead. Blue streaks of frost pulsing in between the ice directing to the island itself.

The cyclone rapidly closed itself below and now the horse was left in the frozen surface of the Norwegian Sea. What power did that man have? To freeze a whole ocean like this in a matter of minutes? Not to mention the calming of the waves when this magical ice had touched the surface. Though, it was sure that this impressive feat wouldn't last long since it was the ocean after all. The ocean wasn't some still fjord or lake to freeze over, it was a force to be feared. Ice won't ever last long in these cold oceans. Nevertheless, the impact the hail made to this magically thick ice sheet was like a bullet to 7 layers of glass. Every hail that fell didn't crack through the ice completely, but only dented it and stayed in place. The beast started walking, then fully on galloping in the direction of the blue vein-like streaks without slipping. It wanted to laugh at the outcome. That ice man had separated and trapped himself and that annoying stallion under water. The stallion would be stuck under the ice and nothing would stop it from reaching that island. This was too easy!

"Hey you!"

The yellowed eyed horse felt its black hooves being cast in frozen, creeping needles of frost mid-run, halting it from running any further. It looked around at the endless frozen water and cascading hail. Straightening it's neck up from the rime ice expanding towards its body. Yellow eyes darted from all directions, moving its head as the magic continued to capture it. Nothing was seen except for the fog of the hail storm and the blue streaks until It finally spotted the man from a vast distance away shining this type of electric light. Closer and closer he came into view.

Jack was on top of the water spirit's back, holding a magic leash as his cape blew in the quiet winds of the now halted storm. His aura glowed a frosted blue. There was this chaotic wild energy about him when he smiled. A very, very mischievous grin plastered on his face as if he was actually liking whatever battle they were holding. He took out his crooked staff, glowing with blue frost magic spiraling to the tip, and pointed it right at the shadow horse, whose body was slowly being encased in ice.

"We're not done here! You're not getting anywhere past me got it?!"

The shadow horse huffed, groaning as it violently shifted its body. The blue frost that was currently creeping around its body broke into tiny shards of ice and it aggressively charged right at them both. Jack's smile didn't waver as Nokk too charged at the horse. As Jack and Nokk were charging straight at the beast, the beast itself formed a shadowy copy of the rider over its back with a black cape and staff in hand. Yellow human-like eyes pierced through the white night and straight at the winter spirit, whose interest in this fight peaked.

He yanked his hood over his head. His toothy smile couldn't get any wider.

"En garde!"

Oh ho. This was going to be _fun_.

* * *

[April 10 1942]

Coughing echoed throughout the columned hall of the glacier. Elsa walked slowly to the memory chamber. She looked around her as she walked, her back hunched with her hand pressed against her thyroid. She was alone in the cold place. She didn't know why she was feeling this way. She never had gotten so sick like this before. What was in that smoke?

She was aware that, regardless of her independence, that she became very dependent on this river of ice alone. She knew her home was in the forest and that she belonged there with them but...she's a spirit and free to do what she pleased. Her choice was to go here, to be here, to live here in this glacier. Only Ahtohallan had the answers. She told herself this multiple times, regardless of her gut feelings to go to the trolls for any kind of help. 

This river of ice held her past stories and other ancient mysterious she wanted to learn. Her memories were there and she desperately wanted to find some type of clue, hoping for an answer. She lowered her head from watching the pillars pulsing like a heart beat. She reached the entrance of the memory chamber where the door had been sealed up with thick layers of ice. She blinked, her eye lids weak and her breathing was slow. When did she block the door? She didn't remember blocking it up. No one really comes down here except for her...unless some random curious explorers decided to see the 'Snow Queen' in her natural habitat for themselves which was highly unlikely but...

Elsa straightened her back and waved her arm out, moving the ice out of the way. The ice door was only half opened, the ice crystals that levitated in the air moved on their own as Elsa walked into the memory chamber. The hall of ice towers pulsing brighter and more in a rhythm of a drum before the ice crystals went back to being apart of the door. She was left in the memory chamber once again for umpteenth. She saw the ice below her glow in her signature blue snowflake, then getting brighter as she went towards the middle of the room. The vibration of the floor felt like a combination of beating drums and a heartbeat of a creature. The beating got louder, her eardrums shaking from the rhythm of the glacier. What beautiful music, the sounds of a beating heart, so slow but felt so alive. Elsa closed her eyes, letting the soothing heartbeat of the chamber distract her from the numbing pains in her own chest. The beating she heard slowly soothed her and she wanted to sing with the rhythm of the ice, the floor glowing brighter in the dark. The snowflake below her feet expanding beyond the chamber walls.

She breathed in a manner to match the pulsing rhythm of the beat: slow and delicate or the pain would continue to grow inside of her. Whatever that bomb was, it held something so dark and cold that her mind was flooded with ridiculous fears of loss, too much loneliness, too many monsters around her.

She placed her hands against her chest, listening to the magical glacier's voice. She had done this countless of times, talking to the natural phenomenon of the arctic ocean in ways of singing and humming. The beating that echoed throughout the temple were the same as the shaman drums. Elsa hummed with the beat and sang Vuelie. That would always help in calming her down in such scenarios. She would sing it to Ahtohallan, to the Northudra, to the other Sami, to the spirits and to her family. To her beloved mother and sister. As she sang with the sickness, a tear cascaded down her cheek in remembrance. She was the only one alive down here.

After she finished singing, the pulsing blue glow of the heartbeat continued to echo around her. Elsa opened her eyes and noticed that the projections showed themselves to her on the walls. She turned her gaze to the projections of her adventures. One projection that had caught her unknown exhaustion was the man who hid himself in the snowstorm. Holding himself with loneliness and vulnerability he rarely showed to the world. The snow blowing in his presence. She wondered where he was now. She never saw him after thier first meeting, and she had forgotten about him on her adventures. He was just one in a billion and yet...she's never seen such a spirit like him before. Elsa had just assumed there was no one else out there, but she was wrong. She's glad she was wrong. There were plenty of other spirits out there like her, not in her home country but around the world. Yet he was the same as her somehow. It was a shame that she had to leave him there but maybe it was for the best of her abilities. Her purpose in life was to be bridge of human and spirits. Heal those like herself, spirits or otherwise.

Elsa gazed at another projection of her elderly sister in her redesigned bedroom. Anna was there in her bed, resting as Elsa stayed with her, as young and beautiful to the contrast of her sister. They were talking, having an intimate sisterly conversation about family and who would take the crown, what would Elsa do when Anna rests in the earth and so fourth.

"Have you chose what you're going to do when I'm gone?" Anna asked, a wrinkly smile on her old face. "I...I don't know. I've wandered around far enough to get the sense of freedom but, maybe I could live with the Sami for good? Or help your grand children- or great grandchildren to rule or..." Elsa sat on a chair next to her bed and puffed. "I really don't know...I, I really wanted to-to grow old with you but..." Elsa looked at both of her beautiful and young hands. "I can't age older than my 20's and I still don't get why. Shouldn't- Shouldn't there be another way to grow older or you getting younger so...you don't-you don't have to-" Elsa saw cold tears hit her own palms and collapsed on her sister's bed. Her face buried over her sister's legs on the blanket. Anna smiled and patted her sister's head. "It's part of life Elsa. People don't live forever young...honestly I'm overjoyed I don't have to deal with royal pains in my ass. I think I'm good to leave earth like this. There's a better place for me to go beyond here... Geez you're so dramatic when you cry sis. Death is natural!" Elsa sniffed loudly, wetting the green and yellow blanket to look at her elderly sister.

"Sorry...its just..I feel like we didn't have enough time together" "Elsa we had enough time together as it is!" Elsa chuckled awkwardly. Anna sighed and laid back down into her bed. "I do have one last thing for you" "What is it Anna?" "After I die, let Olaf stay in your ice castle, and make sure the magic books are shipped to other countries...there are monarchy I don't trust" Elsa stood up from her chair. "Why? I mean of Olaf staying at the ice castle? Ahtohallan is more stable. What type of monarchy would know about the books?" Anna stayed quiet as she stared at the ceiling then finally spoke to her after a few minutes. "I had a dream, or maybe a nightmare? Well. It was a vision I had. Do you get visions?" "Sometimes, but you know how wild dreams can get" "Ooh what were they?" "Anna. What vision did you have?" "Oh! Uh...oh yes! It was about...about...what was I talking about again?" Elsa sighed, wiping her tears away as she embraced her sister. "Nevermind. I'll do what you ask okay? I'll always love you Anna" the elderly women hugged her back. "I love you too, I'll watch over you if you want. Maybe see my ghost or something. Ooo~" Elsa smiled as Anna laughed with a cough.

Elsa slowly exhaled as she turned away from the projections and to the ice below her. The snowflake pulsing blue light from her feet. She could feel her head getting dizzy, the sounds of the shaman drums echoed through her own head, pulsating as it rang only for her to hear and focus on. The wall of projected memories faded from her view. Her head drooping down to the sound and to the blue streaks of frost below. Questions racing in the back of her mind and answers being given in a calming voice.

_You can't stop this World War. It was destined to happen. Prophesied to occur. Let everything pass. You? My dear spirit. Are a prophesy to bring balance to nature, but not here. Not in this realm. I have kept you bounded here long enough. Fear and truth has tipped your balance_

Elsa closed her eyes, had she struggled to keep them awake she would have seen the entity that glowed before her. Yet she didn't and her whole body went numb in an instant. Whatever she had breathed in that smoke, it had took effect of her very quickly and the sound of a heartbeat continued around her. She fell to the ground in a graceful manner ontop of the glowing streaks of frost. She finally felt so relaxed and getting a nights sleep after so many years. The projections of the ice wall vanished, leaving nothing but black and dimmed streaks of blue frost-like veins. Everything was dark in the chamber and the pillars stopped their own pulsing to fall to the ground. One by one the giant ice pillars fell, blocking the entrance of the temple and soon the entrance to the glacier.

* * *

The 8 sided snowflakes kept up with Jack and the Nokk as they battled the shadow copies one on one. Jack hitting the horse with his frost, expecting the horse to freeze but his black copy thawed it just as quickly. Stabs, thrusts, and frost, it had been going on like this for 5 hours. Jack had even used flying as a way to take his copy down, but it didn't work as much. Even if the waves had been frozen solid and the ocean beneath was unmoved marking no way to use the water, the dark beast still had a way to copy him. Jack didn't like this at all, but he had considered this fun for him. It was risky, challenging and he loved using this as an excuse to cause some type of chaotic mischief. As in maybe freezing an entire sea and a cyclone was an awesome type of mischief. Though with the freezing the entire sea thing wasn't really the entire sea. Since there were areas full of violent water that could crack the thick ice and ruin his plan.

Well Jack's first plan was to just ditch the dark horse altogether and go straight to the glacier, but Nokk, after taking a couple of test runs aka beatings, had noticed the man was on his side and told him about the horse's plan. So now he was fighting a black and yellowed eyed version of himself from getting too close to the island. The spirit huffed out a cold frosty wind as the horse and rider charged with with it's staff. The cold wind had frosted the horse and rider halfway, icicles hanging from the horse and rider's staff. Before they could break free from the ice, Jack tugged the magic rein tied to head for the island. "I can see why this took you years! He's copying everything I do! Why aren't they frozen solid yet?" Nokk shook his head with a grunt that Jack had somehow understood. Jack glanced at Nokk before both of them started bolting to the island. "There's something else underwater? What is it?" He asked, hoping that it wasn't those deep underwater monsters that would've made something like this. Though he wished it wasn't what he thought it was going to be. Nokk twitched his ears he ran as fast a flood to the island that was finally seen in the distance. The hail storm was still going on strong and Jack used this to hide from the copies as beat as he could, freezing the mist as the water spirit ran with the blue vein-like lines. Nok did take a notice of seeing the phenomenon of icy blue viens guiding them to Ahtohallan. He was probably the only one who could hear the voices that trailed underneath the veins, it sounded like another entity speaking to him, calling out to be noticed. Ice can make such mystical music, but this 7 feet deep sparkling ice was created by no other than this winter spirit on his back. Maybe this white hair man held a power he never knew about.

The ocean waters were still dark and black as night, not getting an brighter or any type of reflected sunlight. Jack and Nokk were a kilometer away from the glacier until the mist of the storm started to freeze around them. "Damn it!" Jack gritted his teeth and whipped the reins to go faster, away from those dark copies getting closer. The freezing mist of the storm thickened and Jack could see the hail around them getting darker and as it hit the ice. Jack's vision zoomed in to one hail that was clear to reflect whatever was behind him. He saw the reflection of the copies some distance away. His copy waving his staff around as it glowed its own black ice magic. The hail Jack looked through landed in between his thighs. He picked up the ice stone and quickly blew his magic around it. Jack tipped his staff to the ground, his magic trailing frost around them. "Nokk, let me draw for a few seconds!" The water horse was questionable at his request, but turned in ways to let the winter spirit draw on the ice with his staff.

Before the darker copies got closer and closer to the enemy, Jack had finished drawing on the ice and captured a few hail around the drawings, all glowing an icy blue. Jack dropped the last magic educed ice stone in the middle. With his hands over the giant artwork, the frost and hail stones rose and transformed into a giant glowing snow bear with horn of glowing ice. It roared at the storm and then at the two copies charging at it. The snow bear kept the two dark copies from getting any closer, while Jack and Nokk gazed back at the creature. The man looked up with a satisfied smile. "Ha Ha! Try copying that! I think thats my best creation to date" He nodded and turned around to the direction of the island. The snow bear kept blowing ice shards and grabbing the black copies as they tried running and dodging. Using attacks and dark ice to pierce the snow bear anyway it can. The dark ice had no effect on the bear whatsoever as it didn't flinch and kept shooting its own frosty icicles directly at them both.

The copies had dodged the attack and, being a bit farther away from the bear's reach, did the exact same thing Jack had done. Letting the staff tip hit the pulsing ice and created a drawing with its own dark frost patterns. The blackened hail that was left hinged to the icy floor became part of the drawing. The copy raised its staff over the drawing and the same exact horned bear came to existence. The dark hail glowing yellow in contrast to the icy blue of the white ice bear. The two bears then started brawling, fighting each other and standing on their hind legs, clawing at each other to push the other away. Jack's ice bear wanted to go after the two copies that raced after them both, but was now biting and clawing at the mimicry of itself.

Jack and Nokk were closing in on the glacier. Seeing the wall of ice charted and calving on itself. "We're close! Elsa's in there somehow... I...I don't see an entrance!" Jack widened his eyes at the sight of two pillars falling into the darkness of the water and two other pillars laid down horizontally over the ice. They were so close to getting to the glacier until Jack noticed the hooves of the black horse and his mimic riding right beside them. "What?! How did you get past- damn it you piss me off!" He placed his staff right at the rider, the ice magic sparking like lightning. The rider did the same, pointing the staff right at him with the same black swirling frost. The two staffs touching each other to create an exploding friction that blasted all four ways away from the glacier and themselves. Jack and Nokk fell to the icy floor, his staff some feet away from him and Nokk laying there, his watery form still intact somehow despite the separation of the ice. Jack looked over to Nokk, whose light blue eyes dimmed. "Nokk? You okay? Do you need actual water?" The water horse slowly blinked and nodded his head in response. Apart of the sea wasn't covered in ice, the black waves crashing at against the thick ice. It was powerful as ever. Jack began shifting himself to reach for his staff, but he saw a black bare foot settling on top of the crooked stick. Its yellow eyes glowed down at him, there was no emotion in its facial features when he carefully looked at it. The cold numb eyes of this mimic urked him.

The black copy smiled in such a creepy way it would give anyone nightmares when it took the staff in its hand. The stick instantly turned darker at its touch. Jack furrowed his eyes, glaring at the mimic and at his staff as it twirled the stick like a baton. "What are you go to do? Kill me?" He scoffed, getting himself up to only be pegged down by the end of his own staff. He faced the glowing snowflake in the ice. His eyes focused directly on the irritating icon. The spirit tried getting up again, to only get hit back down again. Now he couldn't move, black rime and icicles were freezing his limbs. This wasn't right. How on earth was he this strong? Just by one push with the stick, Jack was down without a fight. His eyes widened as he heard the drums and chanting of people in that snowflake.

The dark mirror of himself, still holding his staff, squatted down to his level. Black needle frost crept out from the snowflake itself and was closing in on his face. The copy suddenly started to speak. "I wasn't really going for that, but if you insist it as impossible. I'm sure it is" Its voice was chilling, deep and held this echo within. "So...what do you want then? Why go to a glacier? Its just a river of ice" Jack struggled, feeling an ironic burning cold of the black ice freezing his limbs together on the icy floor, only expanding as when the time _he_ would freeze objects around him. "Its a hot spot full of magic. A magical phenomenon of an other worldly nature. A temple for an idol, that flooded and became the glacier itself. At the end of the last ice age, magic was founded and now it's lost"

"What-" Jack gritted his teeth "-what's your goal then? You're not getting anywhere near Elsa!" "Elsa? Oh ho ho ho" The mimic laughed a chilling laugh. "I already did. You were just 100 years too late. That _symbol_ is 100 years too late. But my goal isn't her. She's just a extension of it's power. It's the temple itself that I seek. Didn't Nokk tell you?" Jack shakily moved his head from the freezing cold to see the water spirit, ways away from the sea water, being trampled by the shadow horse. "...Nokk...let him go...please" "Jack whispered to the copy of himself. "No. I won't. The guardian of the temple is nothing but a buzzkill for us" Jack turned his head to look at the few other snow flakes that appeared before him, glowing brightly for both of them to see.

"Now...I would have never expected for the temple to appear and call itself to you in such.... _annoyance_. Honestly you went everywhere _but_ here. I'm quite entertained. The personification of winter, Jack Frost of all others, to be chosen by the temple itself" Jack struggled to move, but everything around his rib cage went numb. The staff was still planting him to the ground.

"...Who are you?" Jack asked breathlessly. "Where is...where is Elsa?" The copy of himself shrugged. "How should I know? I only injured her body, nothing more" Suddenly the weight of the staff lifted from his back. He felt lighter and then saw the needles of frost descend back into the ice, showing the former snowflake symbol before him. The numbness of his body replaced with senses as the black ice and frost that covered him thawed slowly. The hail storm had halted on its own and the mirror of himself presses his feet on on top of the winter spirit, then fully stood over him. Jack face-planted on the ice. He started mumbling through the thick ice. The mimic raised his staff, dark magic dripping from his hands to the base of the stick. A black crystal dagger had formed, sharp like a knife, and aimed it at the heart. "Now you can finally go back to your place in-Ak!!" The mirror of himself smiled in the night, but felt the ice below him shift and shake. The shadow man fell from the top of his body to the ice below him, loosening the staff from his grip. Jack huffed and looked out in the frozen sea to hear and notice the giant cracks in between the ice.

The ice was cracking. 

The ice was cracking. 

Oh god the ice was cracking!

Jack used his resurfaced senses to at least push himself off the floor when the ice rattled and broke violently. What was breaking the ice? Just a couple seconds later, he saw the snow bear he created fighting its copy and its sharp horn had pierced the otherwise 9 foot ice sheet. Its horn had been stuck in the ice and it was going to be body slammed by the copy. The snow bear successfully took it out which created a very deep crack that expanded outwards. It continued to fight its opposite without looking back at it's creator. Nokk finally stood up as the shadow horse had lost its balance and got caught through the cracks. Jack quickly took his staff in his hands and flew to Nokk, who had been dipped in his sea water and felt refreshed. Jack, before he flew back to Nokk, blew out a freezing cold breath to encase his half in an ice cage, filled with icicles inside and out, piercing its body inside.

"Let's go! As fast as you can Nokk! I got a plan!" Jack whipped the ice reins and the water spirit charged to the snow bear that was fighting its dark half. As they got closer, Jack yelled to them both, gaining their attention. "Hey! Follow me if you want free snack! And that snack is me you pathetic excuse of a bear! Come and get it!" The winter spirit smiled, letting the tip of his staff freeze the ice together giving off an alluring blue trail of sleet. Nokk ran as fast as he can to the glacier as he felt the rumbling of the ice below him breaking apart. Carefully leaping from ice plate to ice plate as Jack created the sleet as a bridge for the two giant bears to catch him. The black bear growled furiously, opening its jaws to show blackened ice canines, trying to chomp the little horse and winter spirit into a meal. The white bear was following it, trying to stop the black bear from killing them both in some way. The black horse and man didn't know how fast the action was going until they saw the blurs of two bears and suddenly fell into the blackness of the water.

Jack beamed as they headed closer and closer, finally close to the fallen pillars of the entrance, Jack looked back to see the bear still following them, its long yellow horn pointing right at them. He turned back to the entrance of the glacier and finally directed Nokk to do a sharp turn once they reached the floor of the calving glacier. "Turn right....now!" Nokk turned sharply from the glacier walls and the sleet of ice disappeared. Jack leaped off of the spirit during the turn and straight at the pillars. The bear didn't see where it was going and looked up slightly to try and stop itself from skidding, but it was too late. The black bear charged straight into the fallen pillars, breaking them in half, and tried to get unstuck. Jack snuck inside the glacier entrance, which had calved for a pretty long time, and looked around to see the giant bear trying to claw it's way to the spirit. The horn getting stuck as well as its head. Its black ice jaws trying to chomp him. Yet it was no use and he was trapped between ice and spires. Jack only taunted it with a grin. "Well, looks like someone bearly made it through. But no worries, there's plenty of me to go around" he chuckled at his own joke when the bear struggled to take its horn out of the ice. He suddenly felt another shake of the glacier and the ice over their head had calved and broken over the both of them. Jack quickly flew away from the calving ice as it crumbled down quicker than he had thought.

Jack made it through the tunnel and ended on the floor of the dark ice cave. Shaking his head and dusting off his clothes and worn out cape. With his glowing staff, he looked back at the ice that fell to the ground that blocked him from the opening. He whistled in the cave. It echoed. "Well.. guess I'm not going out of there ever again" He wondered if Nokk and the snow bear had everything under control while he was trapped in a magical river of ice. He had to admit. That was fun. Very fun and very exhilarating for a spirit like him. But now he can't go back and his only choice was to go deeper into the ice cave and hopefully find the fifth spirit in here. Jack....Jackson.... Jack automatically turned around to the sound of his sister and saw two snowflakes gleaming on the ice walls. He walked over to them in spite of having to see and hear them for the umpteenth time this week. He was actually glad it didn't take centuries to figure this annoying mystery out. When he got closer to touch them, they both moved on their own in a blurring flash of diamond colors, which scared him for a moment. He never knew it could do that, never mind know about any of this magical spirit stuff. Yet he took a calm breath and continued onward to whatever was calling him here.

Hoping to find some answers of why oh why this glacier-temple whatever called out to him, or his black copy's words: chosen him.


	15. Found but Lost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack encounters the temple of Ahtohallan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Majorly a Jack chapter ;)

[Spitsbergen, Svalbard]

Knocking was heard throughout the ice, echoing louder and louder as golden light shined brighter and brighter, illuminating the glacier tunnels. The blue glow of the guardian's staff dimmed from the glowing lights of the snowflake symbol. Moving in a speed that was slightly faster than he was. The annoying, irritating and oh so enchanting sounds of natives filled the ice walls around him. Jack stopped in his tracks, squinted his eyes shut, and covering his ears from the combined knocking and the rituals of natives. He clenched his jaw. "Agh! Quit it! Shut up you stupid-" he forcefully took out the cause of the knocking, the tooth box, and held a grip onto it. Glaring at the diamonds design. "-stupid useless thing of a box! What do you want now?!" He shook the box rapidly, hearing the jiggling of baby teeth inside. The endless echoing of the chants, voices and his sister had tested his patience. He shouldn't have yelled at an object that didn't ruin his focus with dead voices, but he didn't care. He just wanted to find out why this temple called him with the ghost of his sister and finally give him some peace of mind. He growled, watching the box continue to glow on its own, getting brighter as he walked closer and closer to the temple. He really did _not_ want anymore noises to pile up in his head for no other reason then to mentally push him to the edge. The knocking continued, and the colorful glowing of the snowflake symbol was way ahead of him in the glacier. The only thing that lighted the tunnels was the tooth box and soon it was his staff. "You're nothing but a box of teeth!" Jack sighed as the glowing and knocking stopped for a while. He continued into the tunnel, sliding down a slope and hearing the echo his sister some feet away. When he saw an opening from the other side, the box began to glow again. The knocking returned and Jack halted himself from seeing what he thought was a few feet away was actually a huge crevasse away.

It was a long ways down, so very long and so unknowingly deep that a reasonable part of him didn't want to search down there. His first thought was there's probably bedrock at the bottom, just really deep and frozen solid. His second was the ocean waters down below was filled with fear. There before him were pillars of ice, holding and keeping together what could be ice stairs. The colorful light of the symbol returned to light up the ice cave before him, which he didn't really want to admit that he was relieved it showed up to guide him. The spirit took only one step onto the ice stairs to feel the flow of magic entering his body in some way. His eyes widened, his bare feet taking steps down the stairs. Each step he took, small glowing streaks of ice spiked out around the stairs. He saw the symbol glowing over the end of the crevasse, waiting for him. The knocking continued, the box glowing brighter in his pocket as continued down the stairs. He stopped in the middle of the stairway, forcefully taking the box out of his pocket again to throw the glowing tooth box down into the dark abyss. Well he wanted to that is, but he just couldn't let it go from his grip. His patience and desperation for silence was of most utter importance, and this stupid pointless box wasn't helping at all with that goal. His icy blue eyes glaring at the golden box, gritting his teeth as he wanted to fulfill his temper. Why didn't he just go back to North or Tooth and give them the box? Instead of keeping it for...for...

Jack's eyes glanced from the dark abyss below him to the golden box then to the picture facing him. His expression changed from anger to guilt when he saw the little blonde girl on the box. Looking at him with such an innocent and playful smile. His shoulders relaxed and he took the box back to him. The glowing golden of the little girl reflected in his own eyes. The vast cave was silent, those precious minutes of silence was all he needed to get his thoughts straightened out. He couldn't throw this box away even if he wanted to. He tried this once before, but that gave him his purpose. Now? This wasn't about his purpose. He knows who he is, yet the longing for knowing who he was had resurfaced. He thought he was done figuring this out long ago but...

Jack looked up from the box to the ceiling above. The cave was glowing an ocean blue, streaks of blue pulsating like veins to the entry of the temple. His eyes followed from the veins to the symbol still shining above on the other side. He took one more look at the glowing box and picture before putting it back in his pocket.

...Maybe he thought wrong.

The spirit continued to walk down the stairs, blocking out the knocking of the tooth box and reaching the end of the deep crevasse. When he stepped down onto the ice floor, he heard the sounds of cracking ice behind him. He swiftly turned his head back, seeing the stairs he crossed were now slowly being engulfed by creeping bristles of frost and ice spires. Shooting out like lightning from the base and pillars. The blue ice needles continued to grow, the frost that covered the whole bridge of stairs glowed like a heartbeat. Jack slowly turned his head back around, raised his eyebrows questionably from the scene behind him. Well that was new. He's never seen anything like it. The symbol suddenly appeared next to him on his right. The blue streaks from the ceiling followed him, guiding him from the glacier floor. This was so weird. So magical that this scenery gave the impression that it was alive. Ahtohallan felt alive when he kept walking, being entranced by the blue veins pulsating around him. The symbol continued to move against the wall. The tooth box continued to glow. The knocking, drumming, singing and voices of the dead were all blocked out by the incredible other worldly-yet so life like- sound that surrounded him. He focused on the symbol leading him to the temple, catching up to it and ending up in front of a wall made of collapsed and broken ice.

"You want me go through there? This is the entrance?" He wasn't really expecting an answer from anything, but the voice of his sister replied with the same words:

 _Jack_.... _Jackson_....

He held in his breath and pressed his staff to the fallen ice. Nothing happened. He tapped again. Nothing happened. He tapped it a third time. Nothing happened. He was going to try a fourth time until he saw his free hand glowing an icy blue in his palm. Shifting his eyes from his glowing palm, then to the wall and back to his palm, he placed his hand on the ice pillars. Instantly the ice pillars moved way and back into their rightful position against the wall. Jack again looked back at his hand. The glow was gone from his palm and he was even more questioned. He continued inside, admiring the vast height of the temple and the sudden mess before him. Giant columns of ice were on the floor, cracked and separated like slabs from Greek columns.

Greek columns for some kind of Greek deity...

With a few movements of his hand and Staff, the broken slabs of ice fused back together into place. As he walked, the fixed pillars of ice resurfaced themselves, magic glowing from the bottom as he fixed them into place against the glacier walls. After the last ice column was fixed back into place, the whole hall of pillars glowed an icy blue and white. Again like a heartbeat. There was a door that appeared, huge and _certainly_ not fit for an average human size. What a _strange_ temple. The guardian walked closer to the triangular shaped door, seeing the four symbols of the elements carved around the entrance to another room. Jack awed at the hall, the pillars, the entrance, and the door before him. It really looked like some sort of ice palace, better and more ancient then the first one. But it didn't look like any ordinary palace. It didn't _behave_ like one. It just...felt and looked so _alive_ to him that he was convinced it used to be an entirely different creature on its own. Not to mention all the pulsating veins of glowing magic that surrounded him made him feel so small to be in here. Somehow it never occurred to him to search inside glaciers. There were too many of them in the north for him to wander through them all even when he was truly free to do whatever he wanted.

Since it was all the same to him anyways, there seemed no need to explore every single one.

Jack turned back to the blocked door of ice and waved his staff towards the door, hoping to unveil what was behind, but again it did nothing. He tried again. Still it did nothing. The guardian looked at his staff, seeing the ice cover wherever he touched it. There was no ice blue magic swirling around it even when he wanted it to.

Why wasn't it working? Why did it suddenly not want to transfer his power over it? 

The symbol came back, facing in front of him on the veiled door and glowing in different colors. He stared at it in silence as the pulsing of the hall continued. Watching the symbol gleam as he was thinking. Jack then placed his staff against the wall next to the veiled ice door, and faced the gleaming symbol. He felt the magic flow through him as his palms glowed with crystals of frost. Placing his hands out to the door and made a gesture of prying the door open without touching the ice. Instantly the ice veil formed into mini ice crystals in the shape of diamonds. Levitating on the other side of the door. Jack lowered his hands and grabbed his staff from the wall, heading right inside with this irksome feeling in the back of his mind as he entered. That something was watching him that wasn't the annoying symbol.

Despite that, he kept going inside the temple to see nothing but darkness. The crystals that levitated around the doorway turned back into the veil right after he walked inside. He didn't notice the door shut itself again when he walked further inside, he was more focused on the ice's reflection of himself below his feet. The staff he carried in the dark wasn't lighting up like he intended, but the icy floor he stepped on did. With each step, ferns and crystals of frost grew and expanded like a snowflake. Each different from the previous step he took. The blue streaks returned, pulsing and expanding outwards, lighting up the frozen ceiling of what could've been a chamber. He looked up at the ceiling, not paying attention to where he was walking until a glittering mist of blue diamond dust appeared out of nowhere to block his sight. Jack waved his staff around the glittering mist to shoo it away out of his sight, but again the staff didn't do anything. He huffed and gently placed his staff on the icy floor, both hands now free, he waved his hands in the air and around the mist to see it being controlled and guided along with his movements. The mist eventually parted for the guardian when he encountered the same symbol, 10 times bigger than the ones he's seen, laid before him on the icy floor. When he stopped walking, the glow from under his feet vanished, so di the other patterns of frost that trailed behind him. Jack blinked at the giant symbol. Four diamonds, real and stuck out of the ground. The center glowing like a white diamond.

What was this? What was any of this honestly? Was it like this in every glacier around the world or was it just here and only here? In the island of Svalbard. The guardian looked up from the diamonds to the ceiling, the dusty mist encircling them. He wasn't in control of the mist, nor the symbol and certainly not the pulsing. He can feel the frost magic within him grow. Why did he feel this way? So...relieved and yet impatient, as if the magic within him wanted to burst out and join whatever this glacier was. The mist of diamond dust continued to encircle him, getting faster as if it was being controlled by the chamber itself. "...Who are you?" He didn't look down from the ceiling. The mist, still swirling, started to get closer to him and forming some type of tornado. He couldn't see past the mist, but felt it inching closer to him and forced him to step in the middle of the symbol. Where the glowing four sided star was. He still didn't look at the floor, or at the tornado shaped mist that trapped him inside. "What do you want from me? What are you Ahtohallan?" Cold wind swooped around him as if the mist itself was making the wind. Jack finally looked at the glowing light beneath his feet. This glacier was telling him something, but he had no clue of what it wanted from him.

"I...I still don't- can you just tell me what it is? You guided me here. At least you could do is tell me why" Jack closed his eyes to take a deep breathe, bringing his arms out from his side to touch the mist. Suddenly the swirling vortex of glittering dust glowed a bright icy blue, magic rapidly expanding from the bottom to the top of the chamber. The tornado lifted itself from the ground and towards the sky, disappearing and cascading from the ceiling to the floor miles away from him. Circling around him was a projection of ice, showing memories of his years as a wanderer and a guardian. He looked around at the projections above him, seeing the guardians, his enemy, his human family and himself in the ice. "...Are these my..." Jack took out the tooth box, still glowing in his hand and knocking softly, eyeing the diamonds and then at the picture of Elsa. "...a memory chamber?..." he glanced back from the tooth box to see a giant memory of his sister with a hopeful smile on her face. Then he saw another projection of his time at the workshop. North pinning him against the door and placed a finger to his chest. "Who _are_ you Jack Frost? What is your center?" Another projection of himself in a permafrost crevasse, holding baby tooth with excitement. "I had a sister! I had a family!" There was another projection of the moon shown full. The first time he saw the moon from his rebirth. It was still so bright to him. Another memory showed him playing with Jamie and the kids. Jamie. He looked so... _so_ much like his sister. Projection after projection was a certain part of his life that he either recalled remembering or forgot all together.

Then there was one that was bigger than all the others. A memory he had thought was an illusion made by loneliness. It was a women in all white, blue eyes and platinum white hair standing in the middle of his blizzard. She wore a dress of diamonds and ice. With nothing but sandals on her feet as she looked concerned for him. The memory changed with her having kissed his hands before she let them go and left on some snow creature. Jack scanned both of his hands, seeing a dim frosty light pulsing in his palms. This was such a strange thing to see from his body. The only time it happened was his battle with Pitch, and that was when Sandy died and he was both furious and fearful of that sight. The dim pulsing of his hands ceased and looked back up to another memory of the moon shining through with a face of a happy man. 

The man in the moon. 

Did he have anything to do with this? With this glacier full of magic and memories? If so then why not just guide him to this glacier instead of messing with his head? Why not just point it at him? Though, North had been right. He wasn't listening. He was being reckless and carefree, he didn't want to listen to anyone, his actions could have been made from his own selfishness. He's still a kid at heart even with this confusing age of 345. Yet why show him about Elsa now of all times? Why not a hundred years ago? 

Jack looked back down at his feet. The diamond symbol was still there. The glowing star still there, probably blinding his eyes if he kept looking at it, and took out the glowing tooth box. Grasping it with both hands tightly as he clenched his teeth. "Why ask me. I...I promised them to bring you back to the forest. I had promised them that. They, they're dying without you there Elsa. You're the fifth spirit or something to them. I understand that you probably don't want to. I can understand your life. I've been through it all. Not exactly like yours but... You saw something in me and I brushed it off. I thought you just a figment of my imagination that appeared out of nowhere. Given by the moon or something." Jack lessened his grip and looked up at the projections of the chamber walls. He huffed. seeing his breathe in a magical misty blue, remembering the conversation with the chieftain. 

She lost herself in magic, lost herself in the past. Her spirit was free. Stuck in a trance. She could be anywhere by now. Yet where was her body? Jack looked back at the glowing box. "What do you expect me to do with this?" He asked the glacier, wanting it to answer him somehow. Was there even a point of bringing with him? "Can you tell me anything? Anything at all" The diamonds below him flashed rapidly all of sudden, his palms glowed again, so did the bottom of his feet an icy blue. Jack was going to place the box back into his pocket, but accidentally froze the object in ice instead.He didn't mean to do that but he saw the ice around him glow. Icicles sprang from the floor around him, as did the needles of frost. It was doing the same thing as the stairs, except the mist had returned and started to engulf him again. Streaks of frost appeared from his hands and feet, the dust of the mist reflecting the light as it glowed. The magic he felt within was going on some type of energized rampage. Like an electrical shock but more destructive and uncontrolled. Blue and white frost lightning surrounded his aura, glowing brighter as the mist grew closer. The frozen box fell from his hand onto the spiked floor. Jack closed his eyes from the hazardous energy within. Holding himself in pain to only break away and spread the raging mist that surrounded him. The mist evaporated from the guardian's movements and was left with a whole chamber of life-sized ice statues.

Jack opened his eyes to see the diamonds were gone and replaced with a lighter blue shade of ice. He opened his eyes and looked up to see the ice statues of his own memories and events leading up to this. He scanned around both awed and confused. "....You didn't need to hurt me like that. I get you're some magical entity, but you could've just showed all of this to me-" Jack stopped talking to see the ice memory of himself on the pond, with his little sister before him, scared. "-Yourself" He walked over to the memory and listened to the scene, watching himself and his sister. Looking at her fondly. 

"Its okay, its okay! Don't look down, just look at me" 

"Jack, I'm scared" 

"I know i know, you're gonna be all right. Uh. We're gonna have a little fun instead!" 

"Is this one of your tricks?" 

"Haha, of course not! Would I trick you?" 

"Yes! You always play tricks!" 

"Well not-not this time. I promise I promise. You're going to be fine. You just have to believe in me" 

Jack left that memory to wander past different ones he recognized around the chamber. 

"-He said my name! You said my name!-"

"-Ah there he is! Jack Frost!-"

"-It's...a tiny wooden baby-" 

"-Hey Wind! Take me home-"

"-Trust me, I'll be quick as a bunny-"

"-Easter took a toll on all of us, Bunny most of all-"

"-Jack get down from there!-"

"-You can't have fun all the time Jack-"

"Oh~ let it snow let it snow let it snow~"

The guardian continued to walk past probably a million of ice statues of his life that he remembered. Him hanging upside from a tree, him running from his mom, him confronting pitch, Bunny and North arguing, Sandman flying in his little plane, being kissed on the cheek by Nicholas, him singing alone in a vast field, flying with the geese etc. What he didn't know or recognized was the statue of Pitch making nightmares, natives walking around, the guardians also going about...

Then he noticed statues of Elsa, running up a hill and looking directly at him before running away again. There was Elsa walking while talking to Nicholas, and her sitting with a depressed version of himself. He stopped in front of them both, watching her taking his hands in hers and asking what he could do. It did feel like a dream to him, but it wasn't. He was glad that it really wasn't. He wanted to know more about her but...she just left and never really came back. Now that he knows that North knew about her, maybe he could go ask him about it. Jack walked away from that memory and saw something he never recalled. There was a man in a feathered hat, talking to a much younger version of himself as they walked past a tree. He was holding a staff that looked exactly like his own. As he went closer, he could hear the conversation going on. "Jack, I want you to listen. To really listen to the sound that nature possesses. There is a type of magic in every tree, leave, grass, rock and lake. All around you. A magic that is alive and well. That cries and laughs and brings joy and gratitude to our hearts" "does the earth really cry?" "if you listen very closely. You can hear it sing, you can hear its breathing. We are apart of the earth, so we must listen to nature"

Jack went to another memory. Of people gathered around in a circle, singing. It was his village people, watching the natives sing. "Jack, you should go sing with them!" One child said with a smile. "Yeah you could be apart of their group!" Another suggested. Ice-Jack rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. "I...I don't know. I don't sing. I mean they're alright, but" the two kids grabbed him by the hands and tugged him away. Jack cringed to himself unknowingly and left the scene to see another one. One of where he was singing to the cows, away from the village and people. Even if he was okay with being the center of attention, he still didn't like to sing in front of so many people. So. many. people watching him sing. The cows were definitely a better audience. He dodged an incoming ice-ball that he threw to a couple of British adults and destroyed a solider pointing a rifle in his direction. Dogs running around him and kids building snowmen with his help. 

He was going go back to get his staff when he almost bumped into another memory, a memory he never recalled. It was a younger version of his father, dressed in colonial clothing and talking to what seemed to be a British colonist. "I told you, we're not going to kill them" Kill them? Kill who? "We're simply going to trade with them, nothing else. They could be our friends and allies! It doesn't have to end up with another war. We could learn from them" "They are savages! Cannibals! Have you ever seen what they can do to you? What makes you think I give you permission to colonize the west side of that river? The Conestoga are _dangerous_. I _do_ care about you and your village" the British man stood before his father, placing his hands firmly on his shoulders. "...but you are my _son_ , Thaddeus. And I will not get you killed because of them. Come back to Delaware with me and we will spread out the city" Thaddeus smacked the British man's hand away. "I will be having my own child in the future and he will be different from your stubborn bias. He will make allies with the natives and he will make a better leader then you'll ever be" Jack saw his father walk away and stopped. He looked back at the British man, whose face twisted in a snarl that made him shiver. "Allies? Why would you want to be allies with such witchcraft?" The British men's voice echoed as the memory halted.

Jack slowly walked away from the memory that was closest to the ice wall and saw the projections and ceiling glow in blue streaks towards the center of chamber. Hearing a heartbeat pound around the chamber and echoes of his own past life urged him to know more about who he was. "Ahtohallan...is there a reason you're showing me?" Jack asked as he past the statues and went towards his staff, but when an ice statue had blocked his way, there was bright, blinding light that glowed in the middle of the chamber. The ice statue that blocked the bright light was the feathered man, holding a replica of his staff. He then began to move away from the guardian's view and the bright light was gone. When he got closer, he stopped to see a fallen girl, platinum blond and wore a dress of white and blue. Her body limp and her hair covering her face. The same symbol appeared below her in a darker shade of blue. She was in the middle of the chamber and suddenly appeared next to the frozen golden tooth box. Jack was about to go over to her, but another moving memory walked across his view. Ice children were around him, laughing while the same British man and his friend talked away from them. 

"We _have_ to kill the Conestoga! I don't _care_ about the treaty now. They killed our own men and so why not do the same? Its only fair." "Yes but what about Thaddeus? And his family? You're grandchildren?" "If they so touch my family with their painted hands, I will end them personally. No mercy. No second thought" The memory had past him in and he saw her still on the floor. His mind was racing, what was he going for? To find out what happens, or to help her. Jack shifted from the girl to the two British men. Did he remember this part of history before? He's never recalled ever seeing them. That was before his birth. This conversation was before his birth. Years before his birth. Yet Jack focused back to the passed out girl, Elsa, on the floor. Seeing and hearing the memory of Pitch near her. "Such an adorable little dream. And. look. at. her! Precious child. So sweet, so full of hope and wonder. Why there's only one thing missing. A touch of fe-" the memory of Pitch had been destroyed and crumbled to bits when a long and diamond shaped ice spear made contact, unable to finish his sentence. Jack lowered his arm. Even though it was just a memory he didn't know about, and possibly not related to her dreams, it still made him want to destroy it. 

He finally went up to the unconscious girl and knelt down. Uncover her face from her thick locks of hair to see that it really was her. It really was Elsa, and she never looked older. Her skin was a little pale, but it made him wonder of how she just. Appeared out of nowhere. What was that bright light anyway? Jack touched her hair, continued to move it and revealed more of her natural face, sleeping so soundly and so in peace, he wondered if her spirit was actually free. He pressed a hand over her forehead. Cold. Like everything else in here. He then placed his fingers onto her neck, finding some kind of pulse. Any kind of heartbeat either slow or very faint. He tried doing it himself, placing his own two fingers against his neck to find a pulse, but there was a faint one. Very, very faint and very very slow that he assumed he didn't have one at all. He fully sat down on the ice before her, searching for a heartbeat and took the frozen tooth box in his hand. He didn't find any pulse and sighed, looking up to the ceiling of the chamber as the glowing streaks continued to make its own pulse. "So what now? Do you expect me to kiss her awake like some snow princess? Poisoned by some dark hooded evil mirror? Going through enchanted woods to find her? Riding on some magical steed while wearing...blue..." Jack placed his hand over his face. He sighed heavily. "I have to stop watching movies for ideas. They don't work Jack, they just don't work!" 

"mmh. You're so...loud"

"Oh sorry" Jack uncovered his hand with widened eyes. Elsa jolted her eyes open in shock. They both stared at each other. She blinked. He blinked. Then suddenly they both jumped away with a scream. Elsa was already moving on her own, but didn't get up from the icy floor. Jack did the same, he didn't get up but just stared at her. Elsa breathed rapidly, her hair in a mess, and looked around at the chamber. There were tons of ice statues around her and some man before her. She quickly took an object that was the closest to her: a crooked staff, and aimed it at him. "How did you get in here?! Past the ocean? Past the chamber door? T-tell me!" She stood up from the ice, gripping the staff with a threatening look. Hoping the staff would work for her. Jack still didn't stand up. "Tell me or I'll freeze you to the ground! How long did it take you to follow me?! Three days? Four? A week?!" Jack raised his hands as the staff pointed to his chest, yet he didn't look scared. He looked concerned. "E-Elsa? Are-" " _How_ do you know my name?! Did one of your shipmates tell you? The captain?!" "I'll-i'll tell you everything. Just put the staff down" "When you put that strange bomb down first" she gestured to the thawed golden box in his left hand. "Uh..." " _Now_ " Jack quietly placed the golden box down and slowly stood up with his palms still in front of him. Elsa pointed the staff to his neck. The staff didn't really do anything magical for her. It was just a crooked stick in her hands. 

Jack looked at his staff and huffed. "Put the staff down. I'm not going to hurt you" "How can I trust you? What are you going to do to me?" "Nothing Elsa....I'm going to do nothing" Elsa lowered the staff down a little bit, her suspicion decreased and now was questioned. "Wait why? You're my enemy. An impostor" Jack took a few steps closer to her. "I'm not you're enemy. I'm your friend. Elsa..." He moved the staff away from him. Her grip loosened as he walked closer. Looking deeply into her eyes, searching for something. "Ahtohallan sent me here. I don't know why, but I do know it had to deal with you" Jack walked closer and she stared into his eyes, full of searching and hope for something he craved. "I have nothing to do with the war. I'm not interested in capturing you, I'm here to bring you back home. To where you belong..." they were a foot away from each other, blue eyes looking into one another for answers. Jack took her free hand in his. He felt the instant burning cold of magic in her palms. Ice magic was pulsing through her veins. He didn't let go. "But I...I _am_ home. This...place _is_ my home" "Are you sure? Cause It looks like a prison temple to me" "I...I'm fine here. I don't...I don't belong anywhere but here" "I don't think that's how temples work...how long were you here? From the war?" 

"What do you mean 'From the war'? Aren't we currently in it?"

Jack looked down to her with concern.

"..How long did you heal down here?" 

"7 days...why?" 

Jack closed his eyes and slowly exhaled. 

"Elsa...its been 84 _years_ "

The crooked staff fell to the floor with a loud clack.


	16. The Temple Down Under

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pabbie wanders around the Warren. Jack goes too far down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took a while. Long chapter. Loads of memories.

Ahtohallan could be one out of a million that held something like this inside the ice. From afar this temple seemed so small compared to the river valley that froze with it, yet beyond the chamber walls held more aggressive secrets, more past events that one shouldn't tread so lightly. The temple of this glacier they named Ahtohallan had never claimed usage or been visited since the last ice age. Only revealing itself when the time came for the one it chose. Showing the memories of one's past adventures when needed for. Could this place be another spirit? Did it live as something else entirely and now was frozen in time? No one really knows. Ahtohallan felt like another realm to the one who explored it. Yet it wasn't the only glacier to feel so supernatural. There could have been others out there to explore, but they didn't feel so... lifelike as Jack felt it inside of here. Nor seen anyone _live_ inside a glacier like this for decades at a time. Especially for one who's been... supposedly held captive to the magic like a drug. Was Ahtohallan something else to her? Instead of what she called a home? The chamber statues of memories around them halted in their motions as he watched the women before him fall to the floor. Staring at the ground below his bare feet in such a revelation. Jack watched her, her legs to the floor and his staff a few inches away from her. He knelt down to her level once again, not looking anywhere but her eyes. She glanced up to the blue eyed man. No sign of suspicion or greediness in his expression and stance before her, his eyes told her that this man was really here to help. A familiar sense of comfort that held such a hidden force within, she wouldn't want to dare argue nor fight against.

"...What?" She whispered. She couldn't believe what he was saying. Eighty four years. That long? That long she was gone? But it absolutely felt like a week! "Y-you can't be serious. I..I didn't..." She scanned both of her hands, the usual pale color, thin and cold. Bewildered of what was going on. "I didn't... Who are you?" She began rubbing her hands together, her breathing quickened, eyes darting in a small panic. Oh god. She was gone for so long, She didn't-she didn't mean to be so late. What if the army already killed them all? Those soulless eyes she didn't want to remember were there, fresh in her memory as if it never left. What if they stopped believing in her, stop trusting and gave up on her because she failed to protect them and the forest? That thick fog was her doing and she trapped both sides inside for...84 years. 50 more then the last. This was her fault. It definitely was, but she had been doing these kinds of things for years. Healing spirits and humans alike was a gift she could do that no-one but the Northuldra knew about.

"...Jack, my name is Jack...you don't remember who I am?" His asked, a little confused. "H-How could I? H-how did you get in here? No one else can get in here but me" Elsa asked, still searching in her own mind. Jack placed his hand over her bare shoulder, his hand was freezing yet his touch was so delicate as if he really didn't want her to be afraid. "You're not the only one here with Ice magic you know" Elsa blinked, finally in focus when he took his hand off of her shoulder and cupped his hands in hers. Elsa watched quietly, seeing his hands over hers, palms outstretched and glowing with magic. Instantly, frost appeared over his palms and changed into an ice sculpture of a snowman with arms and a top hat. It moved on its own, animated to wave and tip its hat to her before disappearing into a flurry of snowflakes. Elsa saw Jack smile to her. "Tada". Elsa, even with her expression of confusion, chuckled as a flake of frost delicately landed on the tip of her nose from the flurry.

She held in her breath, surprised by the sprinkle of magic that came with the flurry. The flake that touched her nose glowed. Her eyes were met with a smirk when the magic eased itself within her skin. Something stirred inside of her, a sense of sudden and unexplained giddiness flowed within chest. As if she wanted to laugh and act like a child that had been caged in for too long, seeing her wishes come true in the sight of this man. Elsa immediately beamed, her eyes glinting with joy and unknown sense of happiness. Relief even when she saw his little animated act. She couldn't hold in her giggle even if she tried to cover her mouth a couple of times. "What-ahaha-what-haha-what did you do-hahaha-to me-ha?" Jack chuckled, showing his bright teeth as she was fighting this childlike sense of joy. "Magic. I had a feeling you needed it" "ahahaha- s-stop! Why-ahaa-why-pfft-am so-hahaha-happy?" He shrugged his shoulders "I don't know~ maybe you're just delighted to meet me?" As Elsa was in her giggle fit of pure joy, Jack got himself up from the floor and held out his hand to her, who had hunched herself over, shaking and holding her stomach from the overwhelming jubilation he caused.

"Come on, lets get you out of here" Elsa managed to look up, still laughing, and took his hand as support. Jack pulled her from the icy floor, causing her to loose her balance from the laughter and fall into his chest, still giggling. "Whoa You okay there?" He glanced down to her blonde locks. Wow. They looked so thick and so soft. Maybe he could... oh, nevermind. She pushed herself away. Elsa was still shaking, her eyebrows furrowed, her teeth clenched as her hands were still placed on his chest. He didn't know if she was mad or still trying to battle the fun magic. Hopefully for him she was still fighting his magic and not furious. He glanced from her eyes to his chest, then back to her eyes. "Uh..." "I'm not-heh-not going- hehe- any-heh-where" Her teeth shut as a little giggles came out from the corner of her mouth. "But why?" "This is-heh-my-hehe-home" Elsa brought her hands back to her side. She could feel the magic he held within her start to fade. Thank the heavens it didn't last so long, but she also wanted to thank him, she really needed that. She gulped, and slowly took breathes, calming herself down as Jack waited. "I...this is my home now..." she hugged herself, looking away at a memory that wasn't even hers. She felt his cold hands on her shoulders and glanced back to see those mesmerizing blue eyes. "This isn't your home Elsa. You have a family. You have a tribe waiting for you. I know I don't have my own family anymore but...aren't they you're home too?" Elsa opened her mouth to say something, but closed it. Northuldra. They did seem like home to her. She was related to them and she felt so guilty of leaving them on their own. But this temple really felt like her natural home. Ahtohallan gifted her this power. Her magic had its own mind that was always connected to this glacier. This was her birthplace in a way that gave her so much meaning and purpose, why would she want to leave it? "You...you said Ahtohallan...brought you here" Jack nodded. She glanced down to the floor again.

If Ahtohallan did bring him here then, maybe he was right. They were her home, but she still didn't know why time past so quickly here. "Okay. I trust you. If that's what Ahtohallan wants, then we can go..." Jack sighed, seeing this girl looked troubled at the thought. "What is it?" He asked her, who had fiddled with her fingers, biting her own lip. She stayed quiet, looking towards the strange memories of herself walking side by side with a big bearded man. They were moving moderately slow. Jack followed her gaze to the memory that wasn't at all his, but her own. He turned back to Elsa, who was now focused on the memory of her and Nicholas. "We can see them if you want. Then we leave alright?" Elsa nodded and brushed his hands away from her shoulders to walk over to the memory. Jack wanted to watch the memory with her, but as soon as he moved, the voice of his sister caught him to look elsewhere. "Jack! Wait!" "Haha, there he goes. Probably off to some adventure. Jackson don't leave your sister behind". That sounded was his father! The guardian quickly went through the abyss of ice statues in search for that one memory, leaving Elsa alone in the chamber.

Elsa watched herself talk to the 7 foot Russian man as they held presents. When was this? The memory had gained speed when she walked closer to it, seeing the memory in action. The Russian man laughed with a booming laugh. "Aha! Well that was exciting! Not even a scratch! Why the long face?" He looked down to the ice statue of herself, who was in deep thought. Her ice self spoke "Back in..America. There was a boy and he...*sigh* I really didn't want to leave him there. He really looked so...alone" "Ah. I'm sure he sure he has family with him..." "it didn't look like it me. I don't think he has a home either. He was just there and frightened, I didn't want him to be so scared of me...and he reminded me of myself. Alone, scared, unsure of what he could do. He looked so poor" the ice Russian nodded. "Hmm. Wonder if it's that same boy. I'll give him coal next Christmas-OW! For entertainment!-OW! So he won't be alone!- OW!" Ice-Elsa kept stepping on his toes, annoyed. "You're horrible North" the memory ended and she began roaming around to the other memories.

She was looking at a memory of him with a boy before him. Staring at him with shock as snow flurried around them both. "Jack Frost" "That's right! But-But that's me! Jack Frost! That's my name! You said my name!" Said ice statue was in front of the boy, walking closer to him in excitement. "Wait. Can you here me?" The boy nodded "Can you...can you see me?" He nodded again. "He sees me. He sees me!" The Jack statue did a back flip out of pure joy, landing on a table. The back flip had caught her off guard after the memory had ended. He looked so happy and joyful that he could be seen.

Elsa walked away from that memory to almost get hit by a flying snowball of another. When she got away from that object, she was confronted by another. There was a box being held out by a tall man, giving it out to no one. "Well fear not. For the answer to that. Is right here. Do you want them, Jack? Your memories?" Elsa glimpsed at the details of the box, then at the picture on it. She titled her head and squinted her eyes in remembering something. That box. It was the same box he was holding before. "Memories? That box is?" She turned her head to see the golden box still laying on the floor. She looked back to see that, suddenly, the tall man wasn't there anymore. What a strange scene. Elsa walked away to the golden box on the ground, picking it up gently, still thinking it was some kind of weapon, and scanned both sides of it. She saw the picture on the side of the golden box. It was her as a child! What was a box like this doing here? More importantly, can she open it? Elsa placed her fingers gently on the blue diamond. Nothing happened. She brushed her finger against the diamonds, pressing down lightly. Again. Nothing happened. She then began shaking it, hearing pieces rattling inside and immediately stopped. Nervous that she might of broke what ever was inside. Her eyes darting to and fro, making sure that Jack didn't hear her brake whatever broke in his box. Elsa then lightly shook it again close to her ear.

It still rattled, it was still broken.

She thought of asking Jack to open this box. Wait. No. He would suspect something was wrong and accuse her for breaking what ever was in it. Maybe it was some contraption that could look through memories? And she broke it? Ah...he's going to hate her for it. Elsa lowered her shoulders, the box still in her hands as she scanned around the chamber of characters she never knew before. There were so many memories, too many to count and too many to look through. "Calm down Elsa, it isn't your fault. Its just a box, not your fault. Its not like it's your fault that you purposely left your only family behind with war machines. Aha..haa..." She began searching in this sea of endless memories for a clue to open this box.

* * *

[Warren]

[December 26, 2027]

The realm of E. Aster Bunnymund had been preoccupied with unneeded business of unneeded trolls. Rock trolls for that matter. It had been 6 hours after they came uninvited into his realm and used it as a home in exchange for watching over the eggs and plants. The guardian of hope had left his rock eggs in charge in case anything catastrophic occurred while he was away. It was a done deal. It seemed set in stone with the trolls that Hare never trusted cleaned and painted the eggs they destroyed. Though in reality they didn't need to paint the eggs since the holiday wasn't close enough and the eggs here were magically organic. It seemed the only things they could do was watch the egg making process and roam wherever they wanted. Yet it never really hurt them for trying to paint organic life. So there they were, in different parts of the realm, 100 or so trolls painting and watching eggs while catching butterflies. Some making messes while others actually learning how to paint. Ones didn't care and became rocks to fit in while others were passionate about their new jobs.

"No no no, its Blue and _Orange_. Blue and Orange are _the_ most complementary colors of all time!" "Excuse you that's _futile_. Its blue and _yellow_! Everyone knows its the clear complementary!" "Uh. What? It's Blue and Orange!"

"Yellow!"

"Orange!"

"Yellow!"

"Orange!"

"Yellow!"

"Orange!"

"Yell-"

"WHAT ARE YOU TWO GOING ON ABOUT?" Pabbie, the eldest rock troll, shoved aside the two other trolls that were bickering and holding each precious color coded egg in their hands. Head to head they were over the brick path where eggs would usually travel on. "Enough with this nonsense, the Hare promised us to reside here until he comes back with news. No one would look at such eggs. So what are you two bickering about?" Pabbie was faced with the two eggs that were colored blue with one being yellow and the other orange. "Pabbie! Which colors look the best and stand out the most?" "You mean which ones hurt my eyes more?" The first troll was going to nod proudly but stopped "ah. No! Which ones look very pleasing to the eyes?" They both held the two eggs out like trophies to the elder troll, who sighed and took both eggs in his hands. "Lets ask the plants" Pabbie walked over to the two spiraled vines that hung up from the air. Just in reach, the elder troll placed both eggs onto the vines and all three watched the eggs slide down and land onto the dirt brick road. The two trolls bent down to see their handiwork moving on their little legs. The blue/orange egg jumped, turning towards the blue/yellow egg who kicked its feet in the air in surprise. Both eggs turned themselves around and had left the trolls alone to walk with the other semi colored eggs.

The first rock troll was disappointed with the colors as the white detailed streaks made the blue and orange give a sense of brown. The other troll smiled at the sight of the blue/yellow egg being enhanced by the white detailed streaks. Giving it some type of glow. "Aha! You see! Blue and yellow do stand out! Complementary I say!" "Yeah, but blue and orange are pretty on paint" "I thought it was purple and yellow" Pabbie raised an non-existent eyebrow and glanced at the first troll. "Okay. Fine. But I still liked mine" The two rock trolls saw two blank white eggs walking by, happy that had more to paint and see which colors work best. Pabbie huffed and left the two trolls alone to paint with grass bristles, hoping he didn't have to hear anymore bickering. Though that didn't last long when he heard the same trolls arguing some distance behind him.

"Azure!"

"Turquoise!"

"Azure!"

"Turquoise!"

"Azure!"

"Turquoise!"

The elder troll shook his head and went to the stream of multi colored paints. He noticed one father troll taking his baby troll out of the stream of paint. Pabbie walked over to them. "What happened?" The baby troll, who was now out of the stream with a giddy smile, looking at the elder upside down. "I fell in paint!" "Ah. I see that. Be careful not to be swept away" "okay!" The baby stepped on the grass and ran away, causing the grass to colored in tie dyed footprints. "Geronimo!" Another troll jumped and splashed itself into the stream of paint, causing some of giant rocks to and plants to get splattered on. Pabbie watched the troll float away into the stream with the other eggs around it. The troll beamed with with a playful meaner. "Hey! Pabbie! How was that?" Pabbie opened his mouth to say, but the father responded quicker. "I give a 5/10!" "Aww! A five out of ten?! Thats bogus!" The two trolls watched the one troll float away in disappointment, disappearing from their view with the eggs in tow

The two trolls looked at eachother before back at the scene. "I would've given her a 4/10" Pabbie responded before leaving the stream and going past the mossy rocks. He was in charge of monitoring his fellow trolls in case they went too crazy or if they were doing their job right. Though really, he was actually quite surprised to get permission from this Hare to live here for the time being. Even when he overheard the Hare's conversation with that fae of not trusting the trolls enough, he understood. No one, not even fairy, fae, nor creature alike didn't trust trolls, or wanted anything from them. They were seen as mysterious, liars and held a plan. Kidnapping children and so on. No one seemed to trust each other these days. The elder troll sighed at the thought as he walked with the eggs to another room. A vast area where the eggs would meet and in the middle and go on their ways into temple arched tunnels. Maps of the continents were engraved in the stone and the only one he could recognized is the continent of Europe. Pabbie stopped, watching the colored eggs gather in the middle circle and towering themselves in pyramids and columns. As if waiting and not ready for the holiday to begin. The Hare was quite strange indeed. Pabbie had seen him before, but that was years and years ago. Neither had changed. Trolls aged too slow, and this Hare never grew any older then what he is now. At least they had a mutual agreement, that agreement was for the love of nature. Organic and magical and natural as earth seems to be.Though Pabbie had never understood why a Hare like him would give away eggs to children. What would eggs do? Were these walking eggs really alive inside? Were there actual living creatures inside the eggs? Or was there absolutely nothing inside to let the imagination service?

The elder troll stopped walking to admire the giant rock eggs connected to the ground. Two of them held a different face, but they were the same: carved and ingrained. It did remind him of some kind of fish, but the way they moved was something else entirely. As he walked away from them, Pabbie admired the tall bunny totems a foot away from the giant rock eggs. Those too were engraved with pictures he's never seen before. It was a strange place. This realm held such beauty and troll-like habitat filled with an eternal spring that it was strange to see totems and rock guards like these. Though to be honest, in all his decades of existence, he has never seen such an oasis before this deep underground. It was quite magical to him, so much different then the Northern Lights in the Arctic. Pabbie's admiration for the hieroglyph totems was interrupted by the sound of rock metal behind him, walking towards him. The rock troll turned around to see the two giant eggs, that were positioned on the ground earlier, walk on such legs, moving their egg shaped heads to change their expressions. Pabbie watched their faces shift from a happy mouth to a surprised mouth. As if they didn't expect a troll to come here. "My. You're so big. What kind of troll are you?" Pabbie wanted to inwardly smack himself for his idiocy. He's never seen such a creature before and his first thought was a troll. It was made out of rock, but there was this metallic earthy substance to it that if felt like a friend to an underground troll. Yet it wasn't an underground troll at all.

The two metallic eggs turned to face each other, then back to him. The expression of surprise was still there. The two metallic eggs walked towards him and Pabbie, who was clearly the smaller one, backed away from the overwhelming size. "I didn't mean to intrude, I'm just looking around, if you don't mind. I won't do any harm on your eggs" the two metallic eggs looked to eachother again and switched expressions from surprised to happy as they moved backwards into their positions in the ground. Pabbie turned around, his elderly staff in hand, and followed the smaller eggs down the road to the center. When he reached the towers of eggs, he looked back to see that there were no more eggs walking down from the other side. Maybe it was done for now? The troll tipped the edge of his staff to one of the eggs, seeing that it was firmly connected to the others. "Hmm. How strange. It seemed so alive and now they're just...eggs". The elderly troll was going to wander into the one of the arched tunnels under Europe, but saw something even stranger. There were eyes, glowing yellow and white far away from one of the darkened tunnels. The yellow eyes shifted away into nothing but darkness. The next thing that happened were the crystals that surrounded his neck glowed. They were glowing...why this hasn't happened since...

The sound of the Hare returning brought Pabbie back to his senses, the glowing from the crystals around his neck ceased, but only for a minute.

"Oi! What's going on here?! Why are 'alf of ya all covered in paint?!" Bunnymund yelled, alarming the trolls to stop doing what shenanigans they were up to. "They were probably havin' fun. Why bring me along again?" The leprechaun was brushing his coat and vest from the dirt that would have ruined his clothes as the hole disappeared from the ground. "Cause you're the one that's gonna bring'em back to Europe!" One the trolls gasped with delight. "Does this mean you found a new home for us?!" "Oi...that's not-" suddenly, trolls from all over rolled to them both. The giant eggs guarding both Bunnymund and Pat from the overwhelming rock creatures. They all started to gather around, either chatting or pleading with hope. That was a lot of hope.

Pabbie turned around from the tunnel he was going to enter, hearing the Hare's words, and began walking back to the hill. "So the Hare found us a spot? Hmm. I was already starting to like it here" when he started walking, his crystals began to glow again, stopping him from moving forward. "Why it is doing this now?" Pabbie took a crystal in his hand, watching it glow in his rocky palm. It only took another minute to see a glowing bright light from another area, one so far deep and covered in earthy moss and trees. Pabbie walked over to the bright light out of old curiosity, and down a tunneled area towards the light. The glowing from the crystal helped to light the way when he walked through the long tunnel. Suddenly, he was face to face with a tall door. A temple door. Covered in moss and plants, dusted like it has never been opened in centuries. The elder troll raised his glowing crystal high above him, helping him see and uncover the symbols and hieroglyphs that were carved through the rocks. After brushing and tugging the plants away, his eyes widened in awe at the hieroglyph before him:

A man reaching for the moon above.

* * *

[Spitsbergen, Svalbard]

"Jackson! Help your mother out with the cattle would you?" Jack stood in front of a memory after searching around and around for voice of his sister. He came across his father instead, holding an ax above his shoulder, yelling out to the human version of himself. He looked nothing like the steel statue back in Burgess, but his clothes were quite similar. Why did it matter to him anyway? That statue was just a statue, and this was just the temple's power. His father looked like an older version of himself, tired, hopeful and otherwise a miner. He was a colonist, yet he wasn't sure if he was good man or not. Allies with...those natives of feathers? Why? What was his father planning? What was his potential grandfather planning? Jack shook his head and left the memory of his father. No. He didn't need to look too deep into this. He came here to bring Elsa back to the tribe and lift the fog! That's why Ahtohallan bought him here. To take her home and nothing else...nothing else. The guardian kept walking along, seeing another memory with the feathered hat man holding a staff in one hand and a dream catcher his other hand. He was giving the dream catcher to the younger version of himself. He wanted to go over there and watch the memory in action, but he shook his head. Nothing else. Take Elsa home, nothing else. Jack walked past the memory, hearing more and more memories as he went around the chamber.

"Thaddeus! How's your son doing? You're father sent you a telegram-"

"-Make sure to come back before dinner-"

"-Haha! You're funny Jack!-"

"-Try these chestnuts!-"

"-There once was a creature with giant antlers-"

"-Where did all of this snow come from?!-"

"Jack! Jack! Let's play Hopscotch!-"

Too many voices echoed around him, too many memories that he either longed to remember or wanted to forget. Thousands upon thousands of ice statues swarmed and moved around him as he ran past them. He clenched his teeth, covering his ears with his hands as he moved away from them all. "Ugh! Stop it! I don't want to see that! Or any of that! Why am I cringing?!" Without opening his eyes, the guardian was eventually met face to face with the chamber wall, making impact and falling back down to the floor. Jack rubbed his nose as the echoes of the memories faded behind him. He reached the end of the chamber, a wall that used to project visions was now just a cold wall of ice. "Ak, that was harder than I thought. Watch where you're going Jack..." As he was rubbing his nose, he spotted from the corner of his eye another memory some feet away from him. "You know, my son seems to be fond of you and your tribesmen. The warrior types?" This memory was the native chief, walking with his staff as a British man, presumably his grandfather, walked besides him. They were headed towards the wall. Why were they headed towards the chamber walls? That didn't make sense, then again, nothing ever made sense here. Jack quickly stood up from the floor, hearing more of their conversation as he caught up with the two statues.

"Yes. We are the most protective of our tribe, right now we are at war with another tribe. I could see why your son is respectful of us" "What would you do if he made a settlement further north east? Closer to where you're tribe resides by the river?" "Why would he want to settle that close to us?" "We have a common enemy! And it would be wise to settle with an agreement!" The two statues stopped a few inches from ice wall. Were they done? Jack scooted in front of both men, the feathered native looking out to the wall while his granfather was standing behind him, a few inches away. They were apart of his memory? "Hmm...the frost moon is upon us, I need to set the traps" the chieftan suddenly walked through the ice wall while his granfather was left there. His face twisted once again. "You may be allies to my son, but not to me...I know what you are. Moon-worshiper" Jack watched the British man continue to walk right through the ice wall.

"Frost moon?...W-wait!" Jack touched the part of wall that the two statues went through. It was cold and hard. How did they get through? He leaned closer to the wall, his reflection was seen, but his hands weren't. Jack backed away from the wall, seeing his palm glowing an icy blue. Ahtohallan was giving him hints? With one wave of his arm, the ice before him vanished and what appeared was a tall trainglar entrance, bigger than a normal human being. "Whoa. Secrets...you don't see that everyday" Jack, without a second thought, began following the two statues into the tunnel.

Elsa was on the other side of the chamber, watching the memories of Jack while holding the golden box in her hand. She was looking for a solution to opening the box, but all she saw were characters of different people and the man himself. There were...plenty if not to say, tons of Jack ice statues that could dominate the whole chamber room. Maybe to say that she lost the actual white haired man in this crowd of ice. So she kept searching and passing memories, having more questions then answers of how he had the power to create these moving ice statues and why he had So. Many. Of. Them. Some memories were quite entertaining while others held more seriousness to them. One in particular catched her eye, it was him laying on a wall. Elsa went over to the memory, passing an impressive ice structure, and knelt before the life-size memory _ _.__

He was laying there on the ground, sleeping when all of sudden his pocket glowed. Ice-Jack jumped in alarm, almost hitting Elsa as he did, and took out the same box she was holding. It echoed his name as a little bird, the same bird that followed him in every other memory, appeared before the box, patting it gently with a nodd. Ice-Jack looked at the box before him, pressing his hand against the blue diamond. Surprisely the box opened, showing 2 rows of small teeth. Ice-Jack didn't move from his spot, still staring down at the box. Elsa quickly waved her hand over the statue's eyes to bring them back again. The tiny bird was waiting, hugging itself in the cold. Not long, Ice-Jack gasped in motion. "Did you-did you see that?!" The little bird shook its head. Ice-jack placed the box down to grab bird in his palms. "I had a family! I had a sister! I saved her! Haha" he looked up at the glacier ceiling. "That's why you chose me. I'm-i'm a guardian. We have to get out of here" he touched the wall, then slid to the broken staff on the ground. Stood up and tried to piece it back together. Soon he lept into the air, flying into the sky. "Haha! Thank's Baby Tooth! I owe you one!" The memory stopped.

Elsa looked at the box, thinking. So a little bird can open it? And it's not broken. She sighed in relief. "So this...Baby Tooth is the only who can open it, and it's always with him.." Elsa stood up and looked around. Yeah. He was going to be hard to find...then again. Elsa saw the brown of his staff from a mile away. His staff was still on the ground? Isn't it usually his? Maybe he got preoccupied with his memories to not realize he forgot it. She took hold of the staff in her hands. It was like any old weeping willow branch, but it was patterned with a spiraled vine, thick and showed a crack in the middle of the branch. Why was this always with him in every memory she's encountered? It wasn't with him under the water so why...

"I need to go find him. Maybe he-" suddenly, part of the ice wall thawed, showing the tip of a tunnel ways away. The tunnel was open? How did he...ice magic. He has ice magic. Oh no. What if he falls and turns to ice just her? No. No don't go into conclusions, he's probably fine. He won't turn to ice or anything. But what if he does? For such a selfish reason and not for anyone else? He did come here to take her back. Ahtohallan said so...Ahtohallan...I still don't know what you are....Are you really my sanctuary? Elsa gripped both staff and box in her hand. She has to go to him, if anything, she wanted to stop him from going any further. She quickly ran past more memories to the tunnel opening. A voice echoed behind her from the sea of memories that stood out to her.

"There will _always_ be fear"

Elsa stopped, slowly took a breath and whispered before continuing down the tunnel.

"...I know..."

* * *

Jack followed the two men, the chieftain still walking down the slope. His British grandfather still walking behind him. It was getting darker as they got deeper and deeper. He was curious of where they going to go in this dark tunnel. They didn't say anything more, which the guardian used this time to figure out what all of this meant. War? What war? Was this man really allies with these natives? Just then he stopped walking, feeling nothing below but a chunk of ice. Below him was a steep precipice. Drums had sounded out of nowhere. The same drums that came with chanting. He looked out at the glacier ice, now a visionary of stars with a shadow of smoke and native men, with silhouettes of fire about them. The stars of the glacier shined brightly, dominating the icy vision. Jack recovered his balance, watching the vision unfold before him. 

_Dive down deep into her sound_

The sound of a laughing echo combined with his sister pleading for help caught him off guard. His eyes widened as he stared down into the abyss. Why was he hearing her now? And where were the other two men?! "Jack! Jack! Help! I'm stuck! They're getting closer!" The sound of weapons clashing and gun fires echoed with war cries. Said guardian panicked, his breathing quickened out of fear. She was down there...oh god she was down there! Jack was about to jump down when he was called from behind. 

"Jack! Don't jump down there! Please!" He glanced from behind see Elsa with his staff in hand, running to him. She looked worried. Why was she worried? Did she see something horrifying? He turned back to the abyss and stars below. For a few moments he saw a figure of blue light. A man with white hair below him and a blue face. He was looking up while Jack was looking down. Jack tilted his head, the man did the same. Like a mirror. The blue skinned man was gone and the sounds of war echoed below. "If you go down there- Jack!" Elsa watched the guardian jump without hesitation into the abyss below.

Jack was falling, diving into the sound of his sister's plead. The light of the tunnel shrinking as he fell. He saw the crystal stars rapidly shift upwards and a moments notice of eyes as white as snow looking right at him. Jack turned his head back down to see the same blue icy light from before. Who was that? Where was he even going? What was Ahtohallan showing him? He was expecting to land on some platform, but he felt his hood being tugged. His cape was worn tightly around his shoulders and he was stuck. He raised his arms up to feel his staff. "Jack! Listen to me! It isn't worth it! You're sister isnt down there. It's just a memory! Trust me it's not worth your life. You're going to drown..." Elsa was on the icy peak, laying there while holding onto the staff for dear life. She did fear something, and that was Jack risking his life for a selfish truth. It reminded her of herself sometimes. What was he going after?

Jack tilted his head up to see her. There was a tear that cascaded down her cheek and landed on his own, it froze when it touched his cheek. He eyes were focused farther away. He wasn't in the moment and all he could think about was his sister, his past, and the man below. 

"...I already drowned..."

Jack unhinged his cape from his body. It was useless to him now. And he continued to fall to the abyss. Elsa realized what he had done and gasped.

"JACK!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun little fact: the last scene was the purpose that made me start writing this fanfic to begin with :D


	17. New Worlds and Deeper Secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack discovers an ancient past. The glacier starts to break apart.

Stars.

All he saw as he fell to the depths of the glacier were stars. The small dome of the chamber temple could not compare with the vast abyss that hid underneath. A projection of stars that glistened white as if it was night inside. As the projections of glittering stars trailed upwards like high speed blurs, the guardian continued to fall to the deepest cavern inside, expecting to feel the clear ice beneath his bare feet. Though when he looked down, finally landing on the ice, a cloud of white mist had greeted him. The mist was low to the ground and so thick that he couldn't see his feet as he landed. The surprise of the mist that miraculously surrounded the ground didn't make any sense at all. Mist that sparkled with water vapor and frost surrounded his ankles, but didn't cover the tall icy pine and oak trees that appeared before him. Plants peeked out from the mist: flowers, grass, rocks and bushes that only appeared near his home. Jack stood himself up- his cape gone, his staff gone, the box gone-to see that he was alone down here. His things were not with him, yet the only item that he kept with him was that strange scroll of hieroglyphics, safe and dry from the cold waters of the dark sea.

Thank Manni for zipped pockets.

Jack took a breath. He huffed out to see his own misty breath. The temperature had dropped, but he didn't feel cold at all. He didn't shiver, nor felt the ice beneath him crack and break. So what did she mean by 'drown'? The guardian titled his head up as far as he could to see nothing but darkness, glittering stars and...a moon? There was a projection of the moon? It was in the waning crescent phase, glistening brightly on its own like jewelry. The moon wasn't directly above him, but more directed to the left and visible to see without straining the neck too far. Still, it was an impressive scenery that he thought he was actually apart of. Yet it was made entirely out of ice and was just a memory. A memory he never knew of and was probably before his birth...maybe decades before his birth. To be honest he was quite impressed of what Ahtohallan could do: show the past scenery of world events through ancient ice that could be revealed to a selected few.

Jack spun around in the pit, nothing but ice replicas of birch and maple stood their ground and reaching for the sky. Echoes of cries were heard far behind him. He turned back around, hearing his sister call to him in the endless icy woods. It was only the thick forest trees and grounded mist with the light of the moon that resided here. Jack took a breath as he began walking, then sprinted as his mind went racing, his heartbeat echoed out as he ran. Fern plants that he past were covered in hoarfrost. Flowers were frozen with ice ribbons connected to the stems. Rime crept out from the ground like blades of grass, never crushed as he ran through the deep pit of the woods. He clutched his jacket sleeves as an unconscious reflex, as if he was still wearing his old colonial cloak despite giving it up to a grave stone. The light of the projected moon was on him as he ran, the grounding mist covered the floor and the bases of the trees, giving a haunted experience that he had encountered years before on his travels. It seemed endless as he continued on inside, searching for the sounds of chanting or signs of war or even his own family. What did Ahtohallan want with his family? Why lure him to the depths with his sister's voice when in reality she was long gone? Jack wanted to fly quickly over the source of the voices, but there was a supernatural heaviness that grounded him. The deeper he ventured, the more grounded he was to the icy floor, and eventually the more colder it would get to paralyze him. Yet he wasn't shivering as he continued on, finally seeing something in the distance. A smoke trail as thick as a cloud seemed miles away from him, but he could still get to it even if the other worldly magic pinned him to the ground. Ahtohallan was a much different entity then him. It was supernatural, ancient and possibly an old temple for a huge deity, while he was just a tiny spirit of winter storms gifted by the moon.

Nevertheless he kept reaching for the smoke trail as the 'stars' continued to glisten while gripping his sleeves. He gritted his teeth in frustration, it wouldn't take him this long if he could just fly to the source of the memory and see what all of this was about, but he guessed he couldn't battle against this phenomenon if he wanted to. So he just kept walking, looking around the dense woodlands for some event to occur in the memory. Suddenly as he walked, three icy statues of 7 to 8 foot tall warriors appeared from behind him, holding spears and shields, and sprinted past him towards the trail of smoke still ways away. In slow motion, as one past him, the guardian stared up at the painted warrior with awe as if he was a child again. The warrior that past him had spoken in a deep voice to the others. "They've already reached our tribe! I can see the smoke from here! Damn Haudenosaunee!" As the three men had passed him, heading towards the cloud of smoke, the last warrior perked his interest. "Do you suppose they took the crystal?" "The Chieftain trusted it with the Englishman. It is safe in his hands. Now hurry!" Jack watched the three warriors sprint even faster to the trail of smoke, watching them disappear into the darkness of the woods. The guardian raised an eyebrow "Englishman? When was this?" Jack turned his head to see another ice statue in the mist, some feet away hidden in the trees was a man in colonist clothing. He walked towards that direction, still gripping his cloth as if he was getting cold, but he wasn't. As he got closer to the colonist, there was another man with him, clothed slightly different from the first. As Jack took a closer look at their surroundings, he noticed a hut was settled behind them both. A camp fire laid on the ground beside them. Jack placed his hand on the icy pine tree to feel that the ice and snow were being held together by ancient magic. He saw the first man place hands his hands on the second man's shoulders. "I'm telling you the Susquehannock are evil! They're cannibals! Have you heard what they've done to our people?" "Don't you think you're confusing them with the Iroquois? They've allied with you English for the betterment of their own tribe" The first man lowered his arms and looked down to the ground with a sigh. "I'm worried they'll turn their backs on us. Those warriors are giants compared to us" "But being allies with them can help our colonies expand beyond Pennsylvania and Virginia. Maybe even New York!" "Bah!" "Why so against them then? True they were your enemies before but we're at war with the Frenchmen. We have made a treaty with the natives". The first colonist turned around, taking a rifle from the ground. "I've seen what they can do. They're praying to demonic spirits. They're war fueled! We thought they were nothing to us, but we underestimated them. Now my son is with those killers..." The memory stopped after the first colonist- his grandfather- walked away.

Jack backed away from the memory and saw another memory arise from his right, in the same direction he was headed before. He went to this other memory, still stuck in the icy woodlands with the grounded mist, and reached where the clouded trail of smoke was before it disappeared into this old event. It was his father this time, looking a little younger then the last memory he saw before. The feathered chieftain was before him as the scenery was displayed with a field of hoarfrost plants and lesser trees behind them. Tribesmen and colonists were among each other, questioning if they were friendly towards each other. Jack walked closer to the new memory. "I see you installed canons in your base, and you really do live close to the river..." "Yes. It's quite handy with our trade...I know my warriors are...in your terms 'uncivilized'...but we are very protective of our land and our possessions..." "I understand that. We meant no harm to come here to the New World. Your enemy would be surprised of what they see, flying balls of destruction. A perfect weapon, better than spears and arrows" "Yes...We're allies now....I have something important to trade...if that is alright with you" "Of course!" His father patted the chieftain on the shoulder. "Then...well, lets talk in private..." Jack watched the two ice statues walk away from the ice village to another area. As they walked away, Jack noticed the scenery change yet again to something else, the village wooden walls and trees were replaced with squared rocks, pine trees and a pond. It was the same pond. His pond. What were they doing at his pond? Jack then saw immediately the light of the full moon before them both, so far away but looked so close in this cavern. The old oak tree that sat next to the pond had dominated the scene, but the grounded mist was still there, still unmoved by the changing of the scenes. He saw the two men stand before the frozen pond. His father was behind the chieftain who held something in his hand. It was too small to see from where he was standing, so Jack walked closer to them both to see the memory in action. "Why so far from your village? If it's beaver fur you want to trade, you could have told me back there" The chieftain shook his head. "No. That is not what we came here for. Come see" His father walked over to the pond, standing next to the chieftain. The feathered man held out a stone, a crystal that had been laced like a necklace, out towards the pond where the moon shined before it. "A...blue stone..." His father stated, questioned by the trading offer.

The chieftain nodded, not looking anywhere else but at this blue crystal in his hand. "Yes. In our history, we have guarded this stone for decades from other tribes that want it for their own selfish gain. We are looked at by you Europeans as fierce monsters, but we have fought and protected our land from other native tribes of our homeland. We are defensive warriors and our enemies surround us in every corner, the Haudenosaunee especially" "Why do they want this stone? I can see why its so sought after. It's very beautiful...but is it as valuable as gold and oil? Did it come from a mountain?" "No mountains. It fell from the sky. At the river" The chieftain held out the stone towards the moonlight. The crystal glistened a flashing blue with white streaks that look like glass in front of the moonlit pond. Even for an ice memory, Jack felt the power and saw the colorful imagery of the blue crystal. "In the water or on the ice? Fallen from the sky?" "On the ice. It was on a night of the frost moon, where my ancient ancestor was listening to the earth. She opened her eyes to hear a whistle from the North Wind and saw a piece of the moon fall from the sky and land right on the surface" "...A piece of the moon? I..I don't think the moon can loose pieces of itself" "That's what I had said before, but it had been past down from generation to generation, so I believed it" "Why would you want to trade this stone? Do you want more gunpowder? Better arms to fight the Haudenosaunee?" The chieftain turned his head from the moon to him. "The other tribes wanted its power. We fought and we fight to protect what we have left. We came to your aid for hope and acceptance and I am aware that your own father won't see eye to eye about our exchange" His father saw the chieftain drop the crystal into his palm, who stared deeply at the streaks of white and blue. "So..You just want our trust?" He looked up to the chieftain, who nodded his head with a smile. "I had a vision that my people will be swept away from existence. My Ancestor saw it as a sign from the Great Spirit that it would be in the hands of a traveling foreigner with good intentions" The memory had halted, it finished with his father holding the blue crystal in his hand.

The guardian stared intently at the stone, shaped like any other earth crystal, that was shining and cracked with white lines in his father's palm. He then backed away from the memory to see the moon hiding behind the old oak tree. Glimmering and teasing the spirit to catch it even though it was a projection. He continued to stare out at the ice moon in the memory as he backed away to see the old memory fade away into snow. The grounding mist never fading. "A..piece of the moon? I've stared at you all of my life and I see no pieces missing from you Manni, despite the phases you put out" When he stared at the moon and the stars replicated above, a trail of starlight caught his eye from the sky. A shooting star, blue and white just like the crystal and just like the glacier ice. The star kept trailing farther and farther out of his vision of sight, going into the continued darkness of the cavern. It wasn't going to stop until Jack willingly followed after it, running to catch up, but still not able to fly in the glacier. The star trail didn't falter from its path, neither did Jack when he eyed the blue and white blinding light. Something inside of him had urged him to follow it down to where ever it was going. He was already ways away from the entrance of the pit to hear the laughter again. He couldn't hear his sister's voice anymore which put him at ease, and instead kept hearing another type of laugh. A child's laugh that sounded eerily familiar to his own.

The path he was going on to follow the shooting star was getting darker and colder. The only light that shined was the star above him, mocking him and beating him to a race to the edge of the dark cavern. The walls were getting smaller, an arch of frozen water had formed like a tunnel, and the grounded mist was getting thinner. The temperature dropping and the walls were hardening. He could tell from touching the walls that he was getting further and further into the ice of the glacier. Maybe soon he would hit some rock wall.

Or see the shooting star finally reach the end of the tunnel to make a dip into another deep abyss. Jack halted as he felt the floor decrease below him into another cliff. A chunk of solid glowing ice broke as he stopped himself from falling deeper into the glacier. He saw the chunk of ice tumble its way down, hitting another ice wall being lost in the dark. It took a full two minutes to finally hear the ice chunk hit the ground. The ground below was more ice, or maybe even bedrock, but he didn't know for sure why this shooting star wanted him to follow into another deeper cave. A deeper cave full of more ancient secrets. Was he able to go down there? Or was Ahtohallan stopping him from going to deep? He saw his breath again in the dimly glowing blue streaks of light. The blue vein-like streaks returned to light his way and they were pulsating towards the same direction the shooting star and chunk of ice dipped into. Jack huffed, finally feeling the chilling temperature take a hold of him. He turned back around to see the small light from the tunnel entrance. He wasn't at all done searching in that area yet. What was he searching for exactly? Can he go back up to the safety of the memory chamber? What about Elsa, does she know this extra place existed? He swiftly walked back up into the tunnel where the second part of the temple resided. He wasn't going to take that risk of falling deeper down into a bunch of ancient memories. He's seen enough of his past and probably had his answers: Ahtohallan was luring him into a trap, his sister's voice was a red herring, and something to do with the Native American's trust. Why did this glacier entity want him to see these tribesmen that were already extinct? There was no point in seeing more of them. So the guardian continued to walk back to the entrance, figuring out how to get out of here with this glacier's weight on him.

As Jack was halfway out of the tunnel, the blue streaks of Ahtohallan showed themselves to him, pulsating to the opposite direction. He ignored the glowing streaks and kept walking, feeling the heaviness in his step increase. He gritted his teeth as he fought back the glacier's power. "You're...not...making...me...agh...go...down there!" Jack stretched his arm, clawing his hand to reach for the opening. He was almost back up there, but felt the heavy weight of the glacier push him down like a flood of water descended upon him. He fell to his knees, the glowing ice pulsating to the same direction. Jack took deep breaths, his eyes facing the glowing ice, his own eyes flashing an electric icy blue. He tilted his head up to see the light of the tunnel and struggled to crawl to the entrance. "I'm not...going down...there! I don't CARE...about IT...what-what about...ELSA-Ah!" He was suddenly pushed down to the ground, his face planted on glowing ice. He muffled into the ice with furry, his limbs unmoved from the ground. Oh how he hated being pinned like this. Ahtohallan just _knew_ how to rile him up and take him down. He wasn't drowning in her terms, but at least she didn't feel the crushing weight of cold water taking you down. Maybe if he did give in and follow the shooting star, he wouldn't have to be trapped down here...well the only way out of here seemed to be down. Jack stopped muffling in anger and gave in to the thought. Five minutes later, the feeling of 'water' crushing him down ceased from his body. Jack groaned and slowly moved his limbs to get himself up, still looking out to the entrance. He sighed, rubbing his arms as he turned back to the deeper cliff. "Fine... I'll go down there. I'm not going too far if you literally lured me to my doom. It's your fault for the record. Not mine" He mumbled as he continued to walk, seeing needles of ice creep out of the floor around him.

* * *

Elsa stood by the cliff in the temple, seeing the projection of an event she never knew before, but it felt so much like her past events, but more brutal than hers. Instead of a dam, it was a smoke and fire. Instead of the Northuldra and Arendellian soldiers, they were men wearing feathers and held spears with colonists holding out rifles. The moon had risen with the stars, shining brighter than the smoke and fire. She heard the war cries, she saw the action and witnessed a shooting star in the mist of battle. Elsa, still holding his staff and damaged cape, widened her eyes in horror. Was this really his own past? Where was this anyway? It didn't look anywhere like Europe, but she did recall the European garb and hats so it must be with Europeans. Though which ones? They're were so many colonists Europe....maybe she could go back to the chamber. It was safer there. Elsa turned around to face the light of chamber. So there was still so many memories of Jack to explore. No. She couldn't go back to the ice chamber. She had to go down there and find him. Maybe he did freeze to death, maybe he didn't, but she had to stop him from going too far and confront him for doing something so stupid. Why did Ahtohallan allow him to come here in the first place? So many questions raced in her mind, but those questions were interrupted by the sound of cracking ice far behind her. She ran back up to the chamber and saw from afar, the chamber entrance shaking. Quickly, she past the dozens of statues to the door and waved her hand away, revealing something she feared.

There before her, the temple hall was shaking, one by one the pillars were falling to the ground and breaking into chunks of ice. The pulsating of the ceiling disappeared. Suddenly the shaking had stopped and everything was silent. Elsa took a slow breath and waved her hand, expecting her magic to fix the pillars into their rightful place, but to her dismay they didn't. She stared at her palm and blinked. "What-" She flicked her hand, waved them both in the air. Nothing happened. Absolutely nothing and it scared her. She tried again and again, climbing onto the ice chunks and towards the temple entrance. Moving her hand to the first pillars to fix them upright. She placed her hand to the chunk of ice..just plain old glacier ice. She turned to the entrance of the temple and felt the room shake again., more violently this time. She saw chunks of ice cracked and fall before her into what seemed to be the ocean so ways away. Oh...this was bad...this was very bad.

Elsa tried waving her hands around again, stomping her feet. Nothing, just NOTHING. No ice appeared, no magic dust or swirls or..or ANYTHING. She turned around and quickly climbed over and under the chunks of ice back to the opened door. When she was inside the chamber with the ice statues, she quickly wrapped his cape around her neck and shoulders, holding his staff and box in hand while watching the chamber entrance slowly freeze, but it wasn't enough. What was going on and what was Ahtohallan doing? Why...why was her fear coming to life? Elsa's heart quickened at the sight of the temple hall cracking and falling away before her. Chunks of glacial ice from the ceiling fell to the debris. She turned back around to the triangle tunnel. This was her only option she had. Without a second thought, she ran into the tunnel, passing by the ice statues that swarmed the chamber and, when she was inside, the chamber ice wall returned her to shut her inside. Everything was dark again except the projection of the stars and moon that glowed and glimmered around. Ahtohallan shut her inside. It was either keeping her safe or gesturing her to continue to follow him. So she followed him. She jumped down to the deeper parts of his memories, wondering if she would become ice or not. When she had reached the floor, a grounding mist appeared before her with a replica of a dense forest. She sighed at the incredible sight. Such pretty trees and memories... no find Jack first. Go find Jack first, not his memories. Elsa began to walk into the memory, seeing the full projection of the moon on display high above.

Now she was worried about two things: Not finding Jack and the creeping realization that Ahtohallan was going to fall apart without her ice magic. Maybe, just maybe her ice powers were dormant when she awoke in the chamber, and she needed to figure out a way to get out of here. Hopefully Jack had some answer to this mystery.

* * *

Outside of the glacier, the giant black ice bear had collapsed and was no more when it struggled to free itself from the grip of the ice. Icebergs, one by one were cracking away from the main ice sheet and floating into the distance with the thickness of the icy sea floor. There were to many icebergs loosely tipping and turning that the ice bear that Jack created was struggling to stay on a bigger iceberg while roaring for help. Feeling the black waters of the sea take it down into the depths. The black ice bear, after it's defeat, instantly melted back into water-hot water- to calve the ice sheet away. Waves roared, the hail storm continued, clouds blocking out the light of the sun as the water spirit was yet again face to face with it's copy in front of the glacier. Nokk had seen what it had planned to do: destroy the temple with waves of hot water instead of freezing cold. It was they're plan all along and he underestimated the enemy. A black tsunami of water appeared before both the glacier and Nokk, who was guarding what had remained of the entrance. He saw the ice behind him crack and break. The storm that produced snow and hail was helping the glacier to move towards the ocean to only collapse on itself. The tsunami the mimic horse created cascaded down unto the glacier, the heat cracking the ice into even more chunks. The water creeping itself into the caves and tunnels. Hot water was getting closer to the temple quarters.

Nokk had appeared with the ice bear, who clawed desperately to the iceberg that was turning and tipping away. The water spirit nudged the ice bear with a wave and the bear had settled on the ice, huffing out mist in frustration. The ice bear was stuck, surrounded by waves of violence and seeing icebergs drifting away and hitting more ice. The Nokk watched with it to see that his mimic and the winter spirit's mimic were also on the drifting ice, speaking to one another before the the yellow eyed man jumped into the ocean and shifted into a giant creature. It looked like an arctic right whale of sorts, but bigger than it usually was depicted. It moaned as it charged itself into the glacier from both top and bottom. The current underneath the ice sheet was getting warmer as the years had gone by, so it was the perfect time to destroy it once and for all. Nokk and the ice bear watched the right whale continuously destroy the glacier as a bridge of stairs had broke into pieces and fell into the water. Nokk was incredibly worried for both winter spirits that were caged inside, wondering where they would exit to, so he dived into the sea to both battle the giant whale and search for the two spirits.

* * *

Jack felt the glacier shake even when he was this deep into the temple. He had jumped down the second cliff and landed in another realm of colored stars and ice crystals when it shook to only stop again to once again shake. Jack looked up, feeling himself finally shiver, to see nothing but stars and comets. What was that? Was the glacier falling apart? Damn. Was he safer down here? Was Elsa safe? He didn't know for sure and still didn't know what Ahtohallan wanted to show him after all of that. He continued walking even though he really did feel the shocking cold wanting to take him over. Holding himself and having the feeling of frostbite slowly taking over him, he watched the stars down here turn as it became denser with every step he took. "A-Ahto...w-who are you?...w-who am I?" He asked in a shivering whisper to the stars that glowed for him. A laugh, the same child's laugh echoed as he walked into yet another tunnel. Projections were now shown of in full color all around him. Native warriors fighting, ships arriving from Europe...viking ships. There were images of Norsemen arriving to land. Images of them talking to a Native American. Clashes of swords and shields. Talking and trading. Then there was one that showed the moon with the same crystal. What was that crystal anyway? It kinda resembled his own powers in a way...

The tunnel shook again, the whole glacier shook more and more as he continued to walk. He felt his ice magic flow through him rapidly, bolts of electric ice glowed. He stopped in his tracks as he reached the end of the tunnel. The blue streaks of Ahtohallan glowed, showing a cave encompassed with carvings of Norse symbols and an ice dome with two six pillars connected to the wall. Like a lonely tomb for worship. Jack shivered, still rubbing his arms as he managed to walk towards the domed gazebo and carvings on the walls. Touching the ice carving, his palm had lit up the symbol, showing the same pictures of the elements. He leaned in to see the glowing petroglyphs clearly, seeing the streaks glowing all around to uncover the the carvings that only the ancients could have made. They reminded him of something...the scroll! Before Jack could take the scroll out of his pocket, he saw his palms glowing an icy blue, spreading and possibly numbing him. Shocks of ice were trailing out of his fingertips. What...what was happening to him? He's-he's a spirit he can't-he can't.... he forced the scroll out from his pocket, opening it with whatever feeling he had left in his hands. He took a step forward, feeling the burning cold get to him. His bare feet were glowing the same icy blue. Was he turning to ice? How in the world can a spirit turn into ice? But he wasn't freezing into ice itself, he was just glowing with his own magic. He held onto himself tightly as the laid out scroll gently fell to the ground. Jack went down to his knees. He was wasn't being pinned down by the glacier's magic, he was getting overwhelmed by how destructive his own was. 

It was painful, like electric shock, but underwater. Did he...did he die like that? Was Ahtohallan really going to kill him like this? Or was it to reveal something about him? Jack gritted his teeth, hugging himself tightly, and managed to look up to the scroll with one eye closed. His own aura was now glowing icy white around him, his own eyes glowing in the same color. The images of the scroll really were the same as the ones carved in this cave. Suddenly, an ice statue's feet appeared before him from the remaining shadows of the cave. It was in front of both him and the frosted scroll. A spear was planted to the ground next to it's feet. Jack, shaking, looked up to see the ice statue before him. 

It was an armored man, a spear in his hand with the same exact crystal tied to the tip. He wore a helmet to cover his head, the armor was decorated with tiny orbs. The ice statue didn't look down or directly at him since his back was towards the guardian. It looked like this armored man had just appeared to stop before the gazebo. Despite his pain of his powers, Jack was able to listen to what this old and ancient memory had to say. The armored man spoke. 

"Your highness we need to evacuated, their ships have arrived!" Another voice responded in the shadows of the gazebo. "....Earlier than I expected... Is there any time to ask the constellations for help?" "The constellations? I fear they may be busy in their own wars with the demons! I would suggest we escape to the new world" "The new world? Where is that?" "Below us" "So, you suggest we leave the realm of the stars to live on this new world?" The armored man nodded. "That's what I suggest, yes..." "Where do you suppose we go?" "Well...on my travels, there is island far close to the north that we can go and hide. There is a temple built there, and a city to reside in" The second voice revealed itself to be a man of plump stature walking out of the gazebo and stood in front of the warrior. "What _kind_ of temple?" The armored man slowly exhaled. "The old temple of Ahto, the deity of the great river" The man placed his hands over the armored shoulders. "Thank you for giving me that suggestion...but is Ahto still there? Did you check that temple for yourself?" He shook his head. "No, I saw no trace of him, but there is a city still standing by the river. We can evacuate before-" 

The sudden shake of the glacier alarmed both the memory and the spirit. The glacier was shaking even more, and he could hear the ice cracking echoed behind him. The memory seemed to continue anyway as Jack slowly stood up, seeing the armored man look behind him in shock. Jack stared at the man's icy face. He looked...just like him. The figure he saw from the abyss hours ago. Who was he? The icy statue turned back around "They're coming. We need to leave your highness, please" The plump man glanced from the armored man to the crystal spear in his hand. He shook his head slowly. "No...no I can't. _You_ need to go" "But why only me? I'm ordered to protect you from fear by your parents, you need to be guarded! Their ships are fueled with fear and nightmares. I'm afraid that you will fall into his hands just like them!" The rumbling and the cracking of the glacier grew louder. "...I am not like them. I am not afraid...you need to understand that I shine my own light. That you will always be my closest friend and as well as my guardian. The last order I give you as king is-" The armored man knelt down to one knee."-escape this celestial realm with your spear, blend in with the humans on this new world...and...believe in me" The memory had finally stopped and Jack eyed the scroll on the ground, feeling the numbness taking him over as quickly as his human death. He struggled to breathe, but he heard his name being called in the echo of the tunnel. 

"Jack! Jack are you in there?!" It was Elsa's voice. Did she come down this deep? Did she know about this? How can he respond if he's in pain? His whole face felt numb and his skin was colored an icy blue with maybe a few icicles dripping from his hair and nose. He muffled a scream as loud as he could to call for her, know that he was here. Not long, the sound of footsteps became louder and the blonde girl was before him. 

Elsa was in the tunnel of the deepest she would ever be allowed to be inside, rubbing her arm as she walked down the tunnel of stars. It was so different from the last time she was here, and that was...decades ago. She saw the colored projections of natives and vikings with the pulsating the glacier. They were still completely different events from her own, nor events that Ahtohallan would give away. She yelled out into the tunnel when the projections had stopped to turn black again. His response was not really what she was expecting, it was a muffled scream, so loud yet it echoed throughout the tunnel. Thoughts were going into her mind, both worried and questioned of what he had stumbled upon. So she ran as fast as she could to get to him and saw a blinding white light at the end of the tunnel. Inside the cave of petroglyphs and pillars was a memory and the man before it in pain. What was stunning was that he glowed like sparks of ice and blinding moonlight. He was on the floor, holding himself as the glacier was cracking even more, falling apart even when it was this deep. Was the glacier growing or was it another source? "Jack! What's happened to you?" The guardian struggled to lift his head, but he was able to see her and she able to see his state. Skin glowing, frostbite taking over his body and ice sticking out from hair to nose. His teeth still gritting in pain. What was she suppose to do? This looked like it was apart of him. This whole entire power was within him, and it was giving him pain. She saw the lightly frosted scroll in front of him and quickly took it in her hand. She swept the frost away to reveal the same glyphs that were carved inside this cave. Ahtohallan, this was a scroll about Ahtohallan, how did he get this? Elsa looked around the glowing cave of pictures and one unknown memory.

"Ahtohallan Please! Stop doing this! He isn't your enemy! You led him here didn't you?! You sent him here to bring me back to home. I understand that you don't want anyone to see your secrets, but please leave him be. Your getting destroyed by something...please... just let him go" Elsa begged, kneeling down beside the guardian, feeling the chilling wave of winter around her. After a few minutes, everything was quite until the sounds of the ice cracking beneath them both alarmed her. It was...everything was getting warmer beneath the ice. They were so deep into the glacier that she could see the blackness of the waters crash. Elsa, who realized she could nothing at the moment, huddled close to him, taking his cold frosted hands in hers and braised for the ice to crack and and the whole glacier to collapse on itself. Before she would close her eyes, she saw the overwhelming pain of his power cease from his body, and fell unconscious while the ice finally broke. 

The two spirits fell into the darkness of the ocean. 


	18. King Glacier

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Someone appears in Nicholas' workshop.   
> Jack is in another world?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm SO sorry for being 2 weeks late.

[North Pole]

[December 26 2027]

Bunnymund was the last guardian to appear in the icy wasteland of permafrosted mountains and snowy grounds. Appearing from the dark rabbit hole unto the snow, a little ways away from the jolly man's palace, the hare shivered himself from the extremes of cold weather. He should have gotten used with the cold of the North Pole, but as it seemed from the past years of warmer weather and blazing hot summers, the surprise of Jack's universal snowfall reminded him of how utterly dreadful winter really was to him. He wanted to just stay in his personal oasis for a couple of years away from everyone, but no, the lights just had to spread out from the usual arctic circle more than once in one week alone. That never really happens! Unless it's old enemies or something dire with the guardians. Bunnymund, before he ran to the palace, saw a storm in the distance, huge and of course ways away from where he stood. He didn't pay any more attention to the winter storm and began jumping towards the palace. He didn't need any more distractions, the trolls were enough and he so hoped that Pat would do something about it.

When he appeared into the palace's globe room, he was going to complain to Nicholas about the northern lights being set off farther south twice in one week. Yet he stopped from speaking when he saw Toothiana and Sandman being equally caught off guard at what they were seeing. North wasn't the one who asked for their assistance, the jolly Russian was arguing with the tall black haired women before them, who's hand was still holding on the to lever while her expression was utter frustration. The three guardians were still in awe at sight of her figure. She hadn't shown herself in centuries, nor anyone else for the matter yet here she was, in the flesh and still arguing with North.

Bunnymund asked Toothiana what was going on while Sandy was now preoccupied with eggnog, ignoring the two figures before him. "Ey Tooth, what is _she_ doing 'ere and what's got her all riled up?" He leaned to the fairy, who had now noticed the rabbit, still eyeing the conversation. "I have no idea honestly. I asked Sandy too, he doesn't know either" Toothiana whispered back as the argument between North and Mother Nature escalated. "But I think North didn't want her to touch his things cause it's his job" "Well that explains the argument part" Bunnymund crossed his arms as the three watched the argument go on. He could feel his hairs freeze up from the atmosphere as they argued. Ah, the cold, oh how he _hated_ it. "-there's still no point in touching the button! You can find him anywhere without north lights!" "-oh is that so?! _Anywhere_ but here?!" "Yes! You call guardians when there's emergency!" "Well this is an emergency!" "No it's not! You can go find him yourself without help!" "I-" A bell suddenly rang loud enough for the two legends to stop bickering and see Sandy shaking an elf in his hand while happily drinking the eggnog. He stopped shaking the elf and dropped it to the floor. Bumnymund had this chance to clear his throat and walk to them both. "Emily! Good to see ya here! Haven't heard from ya in ages!" The hare smiled and patted her shoulder, who was still frustrated for some reason or another. "And...haha...you've grown! Taller!" Bunnymund awkwardly patted her shoulder with a smile. He really didn't like how cold she was making this place. "...Aster..." "I reckoned you summoned us? Not North like he always does?" The big Russian man began bickering once again behind him. "She's wasn't allowed to touch my button-" Aster quickly placed a finger to North's lips, who widened his eyes in shock. "Now now North. It's getting bloody cold in here don't you think?" The hare's smile twitched as he squinted his eyes. He was trying his hardest to not tell that he's freezing. North shrugged, gesturing that he didn't feel cold at all, but if it had to deal with Emily's sudden change in atmospheres, then he would gladly stop for Bunny's sake. Plus he looked quite scary smiling like that. "Yes. I did..." Jungle green eyes shifted from the Hare to the other guardians who were waiting, then back to the two legends. "So why are you here Mother Nature?" Aster asked, taking his hand away from North to crossed his arms. Emily growled silently as she noticed everyone _except_ him had appeared. "Where's Frost?" She asked under gritted teeth, the atmosphere getting colder.

"Jack? I'm sure he's comin'. In the mean time can you calm down for a bit. It's already bloody cold enough" Emily shrugged, her frustrated demeanor disappeared "You were always the one to never like winter. Alright" the sudden chilling of the air grew warmer. It was now the same temperature as it was before. Thank Manni. "Thank you. Now if you'll excuse us" Bunnymund took North by the scruff of his coat and joined the other guardians near the fireplace. The four guardians were huddled close together by the fireplace as Emily rolled her eyes at them. Honestly, it wasn't _that_ cold in here.

"North can you please explain what's going on? She hasn't shown her face in centuries! Not to mention in the flesh. She didn't need to get us all together to just talk to Jack" "Exactly! That's what I've been trying to tell her. 'Go find him yourself. He's probably doing something with the children' but she insists on calling all here" "So she arrived in your palace after you gave me the box?" Toothiana asked, fluttering above the air. North nodded "By surprise and off guard, she arrived in elevator and made fuss about amounts of snow in Every. Continent in one day. When warmer years go by" "How does she know its Jack and not someone else?" Tooth asked again. Bunnymund answered. "Cause he's a big nut case and doesn't care about anyone at all. Just making messes wherever-Ow!" Bunny rubbed the backside of his head where Toothiana smacked him. "Bunny! Not true!" Sandman then bought up an image of the ruined snowflake above his head with a question mark. "That symbol? Should we tell her about tha- no its too complicated" North stroked his beard, shaking his head at the thought. "What's too complicated?" The four turned around to see Mother Nature laying back with a cookie her mouth and her arms crossed.

"I can still hear you, you know. A mile isn't that far away from me" the four separated from the fireplace and Sandman flew to the women, showing her the symbol of four ruins and a four pointed star in the middle with extra decorations and a question mark. Emily slowly chewed the cookie as her eyes stared at the sand symbol with little interest. "Oh. That?" Toothiana flew to her in question. "Yes. We've been seeing it everywhere. It appeared 4 days ago. Have you seen it before?" "Does this have to do with Frost?" "Well...we don't know actually. It could be...does it have to do with you?" Emily shrugged and stood herself up as Sandy gave the eggnog jug to the elves as the other two guardians went to her. Mother Nature turned around to the giant globe, watched the believer lights turn with it. She was silent for a minute until Tooth gasped.

"Emily. Is that a ring?!" The guardians perked up at this, seeing a ring glow with yellow and blue on her fourth finger. It appeared to be speckled with spots of colored stars. Emily turned her attention to the ring and picked up her hand, showing it off like a queen. "Wait wait wait...hold on. Your bloody married?!" Bunnymund asked with raised eyebrows, as North beamed. "Oh this is exciting news! Where's the confetti??" Sandman was shifting from picture to picture of a ring, birds, a couple, gazebo, flowers etc. while smiling with ideas as elves scattered about. They were scouting for the confetti machine. Emily smirked "This was another thing I wanted you guardians to see, but it left my mind when Frost dumped blizzards of snow in a span of 24 hours. But yeah, I'm engaged" "To who?!" Tooth asked with the same excitement as North. "What type of ring is that? Never seen it before" Bunnymund asked, squinting at the mini lights and colors.

"This ring was made with a clear crystal encasing specks of sun and moonlight and the colors of twinkling stars. He also gave me a necklace and crown of the same thing. Saying I'm 'the most beautiful creature that he ever laid his eyes on. You glow much brighter than the sun and stars combined" Emily giggled at the thought. "So who is it? Who are you engaged to?" North asked. "He goes by the title 'Father Sky'" "Father Sky? Huh. Never heard of him. It looks like an earth crystal. A diamond or something?" Bunnymund asked. Emily gave him a smug look "This ring isn't from the earth, its from his realm up in the sky, maybe even beyond that. 'Your earthly diamonds shine as bright as the stars in my skies' so he gave this to me in remembrance of him" Toothiana gushed with a wide smile, cupping her own cheeks. "Aw~ that's so romantic! When did this happen?" North widened his eyes in wonder. "Wow. The stars...must be amazing to go to the stars". Emily turned herself around to see North gazing up at the ceiling with a few yetis doing the same. "Yes. It's wonderful isn't it...he proposed to me years ago, but I was cautious of telling you guardians about it. Shouldn't Frost be here by now?" Bunnymund and Tooth shrugged while North continued to gaze at the ceiling like a child. "What will you do if he does get here?" Emily's gushing smile turned into another type of smile that would have mimicked Bunnymund's. Aka scary and menacing. The two backed away one step. "Oh..I know the perfect thing to do~" "I don't like the sounds of that" Bunny cracked his voice then cleared it again.

"But anyway, did he ruin anything important for ya? Cause I completely understand why" the four watched her ignore Bunnymund's question and gesture towards Sandy, who gently floated down to the floor. Emily stopped directly before the guardian insignia with the five guardians engraved- their corresponding shapes-around it. "Sanderson, please show me that symbol again" the symbol was shown above his head. "Can you make it any bigger to fit this?" Sandy nodded and moved his arms around, the sand symbol above him trailed outwards into magic strips of sand to swirl above the guardian insignia. More swirling sand appeared to form a golden and complete snowflake symbol. It was the size of the guardian circle. The four watched her quietly contemplate as the details became more clear to her. "Ya know those things are still out there around the world. I've checked" Sandy made an image of Jack and the symbol next to each other. "You think Jack and that symbol are related?" Tooth asked in which Sandy nodded. North stroked his beard "He did say something about his sister. Hearing his sister everywhere" "We all heard something different when they appeared too. Never saw anything like it" Toothiana stated.

Emily slowly nodded. "...That's because you weren't born yet. Neither you nor Nicholas were...neither was Frost...yet it followed him around the world?" "So it does have to deal with you?" Bunnymund asked. Emily shrugged her shoulders "I guess. I saw them in river waters or wherever water is. I _do_ have clue of what it means, but I'm sure its an ancient story of sorts" Emily glanced down to the guardian engraved in the floor that a pointed sand rune didn't touch. Jack Frost. Surrounded by a hexagon. Untouched by the four diamonds and decorations. Emily scoffed. What would that deity want with a spirit like him? Sure he can make it snow and freeze everything with one touch of his hand, but she was the one who can make it a season of winter. _She_ can make snow as beautiful and dangerous as it can get. She is mother nature. She becomes one with the earth. Everyone else were just personifications enhanced with magical abilities. That's what they ever were. Personas. But damn it, Jack was using her winter storms for what? Another potential ice age? Oh ho, she was _not_ going to let that happen. Every year was getting warmer and every year never seemed to change. Ice melting away and forests burning while the winds become tornadoes every summer. Then suddenly the whole earth freezes in snow and blizzards in one day without her consent! And the most strangest part was the cause of this damn earth deity messing with his head! Sure she's encountered so called myths and gods before in her time, but this one she never met face to face...and never felt so furious to use Frost that way. Even if its just freezing the earth and winter weather, winter was still apart of her. _Water_ was still apart of her.

Emily was too caught up in her inner rage to notice that the atmosphere and fire behind the guardians grew higher. It was getting hotter then a Sahara desert sun, not good for anyone. "Uh. Emily...Emily! Its getting hot- hot!" North felt the fire place burning brighter behind him. "Can you please lower the temp to a medium?" Tooth asked as she felt her head lighten and quickly caught Bunnymund from fainting. The yetis in haste used a bucket of water and splashed the water unto the fireplace. The elves did the same with a bigger than average hose from a toy firetruck. Alas the hose did not turn on and the elves were left hot and confused. Sandy was left unharmed by the heat as North himself fainted from the raising in temperature. Sanderson quickly floated up to the deeply enraged women and used his dream sand on her. Instantly the temperature was back to normal and the fire went out because of the yetis. The women fell forward into the symbol that was now a floating sand cloud that caught her fall. The three other guardians were slowly getting there barrings when the heat had dropped and a giant cooling fan from the yetis appeared from out of nowhere to wake them up. Bunnymund groaned from the floor, Toothiana was next to him also sweating from the heat. "Oh.." he sat up to only get blasted in the face with chunks of ice and a splash of water from a yeti. In which Bunnymund reacted accordingly by jolting upright and swearing. "Cricky! Cold cold cold! Ah bugger off ya bloody galahs! You're wettin' my coat!" To which the yetis glanced at each other in confusion and shrugged, to only dump water on the hare once again.

Sandy gave Emily the dream sand with a school of fish as her troubled expression became soft and tiresome of overthought. He then noticed North walk over to them both. "Hmm, I wonder if she ever met her husband, or what he ever looked like" suddenly strings of confetti appeared from above, landing on top of the sleeping women and sand. They both looked above to see two smiling elves hold a machine of confetti, in which North blinked. "Ah. There's the confetti. A little late there dingle!" the two elves continued to blow more celebration paper down below without a care in the world.

North and Sandy glanced to each other in thought. "You know...Jack hasn't shown himself yet" North went to his table to shut off the northern lights lever "Maybe he ignored the signal?" He placed both of his hands unto the table and scanned the globe of lights. "Or he was being the usual troublemaker? Going round and makin' mischief" Bunnymund hopped over to the table, holding his damp ear in his hand. "He does that a lot ya know" "Yes, but he always shows up on time, tries busting through here decades ago. Its not like him to miss a meeting" "even if he's finally grown a few inches and looks older, he's still a reckless kid. He won't come? He probably won't come. Meetings are boring for ankle biters" "But he isn't an ankle biter" "Okay one. Don't ever say that again. It's weird. Two. I bet ya he didn't notice it! It happens plenty of times with humans and spirits alike! Ya know how big this realm is?" North nodded in agreement. "Big world. I agree, but..." he turned around to the three other guardians. "I have a feeling" "ya mean your gut?" "Yes! Very much! Gut feeling that Jack is in trouble" Bunnymund rolled his eyes. "Again North, he probably got himself in trouble! He'll get himself out of it" the Russian man shook his head and firmly gripped the hare's shoulders. His expression was serious.

"Bunny. Look into my eyes and tell me that I'm joking" it was silent for a few moments when jade eyes stared into a serious blue. There was no wavering in the Russian man. He deeply cared for the winter spirit, that Bunnymund could tell, and had this...fatherly worry in his eyes that only the hare would recognize. Aster lowered his head to the floor, breaking contact with a weak chuckle and shook his head. "No. North. You're not joking. You care so much for Jack like he's family to ya" Aster glanced back up to the Russian man. "That you're like his own guardian in a way. Worrying about his well bein' and all..." North released his grip and walked around a sleeping Emily. "Good! Then we all agree to look for Jack!" The elevator of the palace lifted up, the doors opening. Aster called out "Hold on hold on! What about Emily? We can't just leave her here" "I'm sure the yetis would take care of her. Now come on slow pokes! We have guardian to find!" The other two guardians caught up to North in the elevator while Sandy lightly floated past her, looking back in concern and placing more dreamsand above and over her before catching up to them in the elevator.

The four guardians reached down to the floor where the sleigh resided. North hurried along into the sleigh, taking hold of the straps as both Toothiana and sandy jumped in the back, Bunnymund still not used to heights, hesitated. "I still think my tunnels are safer then this" he kicked the side of the sleigh. "Oh come on Bunny! You've gotten used to it" "Yeah and that was 20 years ago. Still not used to hei-" Bunnymund was going to turn around, but, like 27 years ago, he was taken by the scruff and dropped down into the sleigh. For which he grumbled under his breath as North whipped the reins and the sleigh took off through the frozen tunnels of ice and towards the sky.

* * *

[December 29, 2027}

White.

That was the first thing Jack saw when he opened blue his eyes.

Everything was covered in a blinding snowy white. Barren, cold and dry like the ice sheets of Antarctica. In fact the surroundings really felt like he was in Antarctica. Why is he in Antarctica? Wasn't he in the Arctic circle only moments-hours-minutes ago? What, what was going on? Jack slowly sat up from the ice, eyes widened in shock and hastily scanning his surroundings. A Barren neverending plain of snow and ice. No mountains, no trees, no human civilizations and no sign of the celestial lights. The flurring of snow and the storm's mist might have covered nature's beauty, but Jack has never seen such a lonely and isolating place before. The man took a look at his hands first and foremost. No signs of frostbite, and no change in color. The agonizing pain was gone and so he slowly stood up, looking out into the deserted plain and holding himself thinking he was still being stung by the cold. Below his bare feet stood ice, thick and solid with trails of cracks as if he was really in Antarctica. He took a deep breath as he looked out once again and started to walk across the ice. His first thought was to ask if anyone would hear him, even though he knew he was truly alone here, he called out anyways.

"Hello?" No response, only the low echo of his voice and the winds of the snow storm. Jack took more steps, feeling the blizzard wind battle and fight to take him down and sweep him away. "Anyone?!" His voice grew, the echo grew and the winds continued. No one. He was alone, and maybe more isolated than ever. He could see nothing for miles on end and the snow kept falling. Where. Where was he? Where. Where was everyone? Where-Where was Elsa? Jack continued to rub his arms, his breathe could be seen as he scanned the area a fourth time. The ice he stepped over cracked, but never broken and still strong to carry his light weight. The ice that was white and covered in speckles of frost had disappeared after 4 miles of walking. Still no sign of anyone or anything but the change of beautiful clear blue ice and webbed cracks was new and a little scary. Jack stopped in his tracks as the change of the ice had spread for miles and miles on end, the see-through ice held water that was black, sprinkled with its own crystals. Then, after bombarding himself with questions of where this place exactly was, he finally saw something in the distance. A sliver of hope in this barren wasteland. Jack waved his arm about to take the storm and mist away from his sight, but to his confusion, the storm didn't stop. It did the exact opposite of slowing down, the storm grew only more hazardous. Jack held his hood over his head as he braced the blizzard and kept sight to the tall mountain silhouetted in the distance.

After what seemed many minutes? Hours? Of traveling through the storm, Jack finally arrived to the mountain. His eyes widened as his hopeful smile lessened at the full sight of the mountain. The mountain wasn't really a mountain, but a cliff as black as glacial stone. Yet there were three mountain peaks carefully surrounding what would be an ancient palace. A whole palace sporting pillars and spires entirely made out of..ice? It did look like the structure was made out of ice but...it held both a sapphire blue and a glassy crystal. "...Whoa..." he took more steps closer to the gleaming ice blue palace that stationed itself closer to the black cliff then the three mountains. The three mountains held the palace spires and pillars together, or was it purposely apart of the mountain? He was too distracted and wondered by the details of the palace to notice creatures walking to him in a haughty manner. The growls alerted the spirit to look back down in front of him. Jack noticed them lurking out from the shadows and showing themselves in the blizzard storm. Three polar bears, bigger in size then real life polar bears and eyes just as black. The three bears snarled, canines showed out in a threatening manner. What was different about these polar bears weren't about their size, but the sharp golden horn that were displayed on their foreheads. The horns expanded as they walked closer to him, the three bears surrounding him as Jack held his hands out to slowly backed away.

"H-Hi...I'm-i'm just looking for a friend, is she-is she in there?" Jack pointed to the palace perched under the cliff. The three polar bears growled louder as the horns grew longer. "I-I see you don't want me here. I get it, no one does- and your standing up" Jack squeaked as the three polar bears stood up in unison, huge and menacing as the golden horns they possessed were glowing brighter, aiming directly at him. They then started growling louder. "Okay okay! I won't go into your palace! Just- Ah" Jack swung his hands over his face as he braced for a wound of a lifetime. He closed his eyes as the bear's claws were ready to swipe into his weak flesh.

Or so it seemed.

Nothing actually happened. No injury, no piercings, no growling or the feelings of sharp knives against skin. Nothing. Jack slowly opened his eyes and lowered his hands to see the bears in front of him were now on all fours, their horns had shortened to 24 inches and their menacing growls were no more. The polar bear, presumably the middle one, huffed out through its nostrils. Jack blinked more in confusion and lessened his guard. The polar bears were now staring at him. Did he- did he do something wrong? Or impressive to make them act calmly? "O-kay...uh" Jack then took a look at his own hands, they were glowing again. Trails of ice magic flowed through his veins. It was the same thing that happened to move the ice pillars in the glacier. "This...this is weird. I mean you bears aren't weird. I've seen plenty of strange animals before but this...I've only seen this with my staff and not..." Jack went quiet, eyeing closely at his palms as they glowed a spiral of blue frost with spectral white. His veins glowing blue before the magic disappeared. "That's... still strange"

"What is?"

"GAH!" Jack jumped and swiftly turned around, his hands out to shoot anyone that would utterly jump scared him twice in the same week. As he turned around, the storm still raging and the mist still blocking the view, Jack's heartbeat quickened as the silhouette of a man grew closer and closer. The man showed himself in full view. A tall stature, fit and muscular for a swimmer and sporting a long flowing white beard. His eyes covered in goggles holding a giant colored fish over his shoulder. He had no shoes but his skin wasn't purple nor black. He wore a clothing of ocean blue and muddy gray. Jack calmed his panicked breathing and lowered his hands, but was still on guard. Who..who was this man? The old man- seeing his wrinkles in detail- held an aura to him that felt familiar. Either being kind or wise in experience, he didn't know. Jack and the old man stood in silence for a straight solid minute before the old man spoke again.

"...Did I scare you?"

"OF FUCKING COURSE YOU DID! YOU CAME OUT OF NOWHERE!"

"Ah...sorry about that" the old man started walking closer to him, showing a height of 8 feet, and patted the boy's shoulder as he walked right past him and towards the polar bears.

Jack turned around to see the old 8 foot tall man stop in front of the polar bears to pat their heads as the animals huffed and growled lovingly to him. "Ah, sorry about the wait. Got a good one for all of ya. You know how fishermen be" he rubbed each individual head as the polar bears turned around to walk back towards the bejeweled temple. The old man was walking away with them with the giant rainbow fish behind him. Jack was still confused but he had so many questions lingering about. "You're a fishermen? Wait...hey wait! Where are you going?!" He watched the old man walk away further and further from him. "Who are you?! What am I doing here? Where am I? What is this place?!" Jack kept yelling as the giant walked. The old man stopped, sighed and glanced back to the boy. "Are ya coming or are you just gonna keep pestering like an annoying flea?" The old man turned back around to continue towards the palace. Jack was speechless. A-a flea? He was never called that before. Nevermind. The spirit shook his head and willingly follow this fishermen into the palace.

As Jack caught up to the old man, climbing up a spiral of stairs, thick as well as wide, with the polar bears right behind them, Jack noticed the details of the cliff side. Details carved like waves with hexagons and rhombus' around it. A mountain that was surrounding the cliff had been carved with petroglyphs and permafrosted over. Each picture was different and each scene were similar to Egyptian pictures. Well not Egyptians but more religious in a way. The two walked quietly up the icy gem stairway until they reached a platform that held more carvings and a high doorway, also decorated and carved with decorated glyphs. Was this really a natural cliff? Jack watched the 8 foot tall man press something on the wall and the high door opened upwards, revealing a hallway of ice pillars. The polar bears were the first to walk inside the hallway, then the old man walked after them, picking up a giant bucket. He gave the bucket to Jack. "Hold this will you? Its full of water, be careful with it" Jack wanted to retort of the size difference but took the bucket in his arms, suspecting the bucket to be tens times heavier then his own weight. Yet shockingly the bucket was as light as a feather. Jack looked into the bucket to see it was clear water...fresh water found in glaciers. He glanced up to the old man, who had already walked inside as the storm raged. Jack hastily followed inside and the palace door closed shut.

"So uh...You have a very nice place here. Is it all ice or something?" It was quiet for a little while as they walked through the high hallway. The pillars were literally the same type he saw in the glacier, the walls were glistening a royal and icy blue. Shining like the sun and moon reflected into it. What hung from the high ceiling looked looked chandeliers..or was it ice crystals illuminating the hall? Either way this hall was too royal fancy for a fisherman. Maybe a king lived here? But who was this king? More importantly where was he and how the hell did he get here? Jack managed to catch up with the old man after admiring the frosted decorations and glyphs. Why so many glyphs? "Hey uh..sir. I got a ton of questions" "Ask away" "Okay...so am I dead?" The old man laughed with a haughty laugh that echoed about the hallway. "Ah.. Haven't heard that one before. What makes you think you're dead?" "Well for simplifications. I had extreme overdose of frostbite and my whole body went numb so I thought I froze to death and then drowned" "hmm...died of frostbite? Very common native death" "Actually I died from hypothermia as a human" "As a..." the old man stopped in his tracks, the polar bears ways away from them. He turned around to face the boy, who quietly jumped from the giant's turn. "...You died twice?" "Well I think so. One by accident and one by unknown reasons" the old man nodded slowly in thought, then he turned back to continue on. Jack followed him until they reached a room with an arched doorway. There were more rooms with the same arched doorways throughout the hall with different symbols and such, but they both went into one room that could be instituted as a kitchen and a living space.

"Cozy place you got here..sir" Jack scanned around the kitchen area: a tall table with stools, a carpet and counters with usual necessities of a kitchen. The old man placed the giant rainbow fish in basket as he looked over to Jack, who was busy staring over at a fire place in the living area. "Hand me the bucket flea" Jack huffed out and gave him the water bucket as he mumbled. "I'm not a flea. I have a name you know" the old man placed the bucket on the table and took out cups and bowls. He pored the fresh water into the three bowls shoved them to the side. The old man chopped the fish in giant chunks and placed them into the three bowls. Jack watched the old man take out a smaller cup and pour water into it, giving it to Jack. "Here ya are flea, have a drink" "I told you my name isn't flea, and who are you anyway? I still have questions" "Of course you do" the old man placed the three bowls down on the kitchen floor by the ice wall. "Come lets sit by the fire and talk" Jack held his sapphire blue cup of fresh water and looked into it suspiciously before following the old man into the living area where chairs and couches were made out of snow and ice. The whole room was covered in thick ice and bejeweled sapphires, but more decorated with a sense of isolated coziness. The old man sat down in an ice chair by the fire that was caged like a furnace. Jack sat next to him on a another chair awkwardly before the fire.

Another awkward yet comfortable silence as the fire cracked and the polar bears chewed their meat loudly. Jack tapped his cup with his fingers as he glanced to his left at the old man sitting comfortably by the fire and sipping fresh water. The spirit stared at his reflection in the cup. "So...my first question. If I'm presumably not dead...and this isn't the afterlife, where am I exactly?" "You ask such strange and straightforward questions" "Well if you were in my situation wouldn't you be asking the same thing?" The old man tilted his head in acknowledgment. "Yes. You have a point. I'd say you aren't in the afterlife, but more in another area of sorts. Since you think you died twice. You haven't really died twice" "What do you-" "My turn! Your name isn't flea. Then what is it?" "...Jack. My name is Jack Frost" the old man sipped his cup with a smile, taking off his goggles to show radiating ocean blue eyes. "Mm. Jack Frost...has a nice ring to it. Your turn" Jack raised an eyebrow in question then figured out what was going on. "Oh. Okay. Uh. So is this place your home? This palace temple whatever it is?" "Yes. I lived here for centuries-" "Centuries?!" "-I wasn't finished" "Oh. My bad. Continue" the old man huffed as he sipped more water. "Along with my wife, we lived together in peace and isolation. Away from tribespeople and civilizations alike until that day they came to my river" Jack perked up at this information. "Wait. _Your_ riv-"

"Ah-ah its still my turn" Jack sat back down on the chair, still looking at his reflection in the water. "Why aren't you drinking it?" "Huh?" "The water? Is it not to your taste?" "Oh. I'm not really thirsty. I'm not hungry either" he shrugged, still looking down to the water. "I just can't eat or drink anything. I don't crave food for nourishment" "Well...you should. Food and drink are material things, but it is still energy, energy never dies but is rearranged into something else. There are many foods in the world, but they all do same. Nourish the human body" "Heh. I'm not really a human anymore" "No your not, but you're energy and you're spirit. Spirits feed off energy. They still desire food after death. Humans know they will die and cherish that desire for material things. Material life desires material gains. Spiritual life desires spiritual gains. Of course there is a crossover between them both" Jack sighed, still looking at his reflection in deep thought. Was he that type to want a material life again? A crossover. Did he desire it? Wanting himself to grow up, seeing his family grow up? He did. He wanted to see them grow up and grow old and be by their side until they died properly of old age. He wanted to see her again in the flesh, but he never knew her until recently. "I see you're troubled, Jack Frost" said boy narrowed his eyes as the water in the cup was slowly being frosted "I'm just wondering if it matters anymore. It sounds like a stupid and far-fetched dream. I mean she's one human out of a million others. She's just a _child_ and I gave her PTSD for the rest of her life and now she's dead. And I _want_ to be human again old man. Humans use memories as both a strength and a weakness, I'm still human! I still _look_ human. Why-why can't I just do a crossover? Huh? Some other type of rebirth?" Jack paced around the living room, the water still in his hand as the old man watched him pace about the living space.

The old man closed his eyes and laid back in the snow covered chair. "Would you like me to answer one or two of those questions?" "Two would be nice!" The old man slowly exhaled and placed his half empty cup on a table. "Hmm. Can you be seen? Can you be touched?" Jack stopped pacing and looked directly at the old man. "Of course...it takes a forever though" "as in?" "200-300 years" "by humans?" Jack nodded. "Hmm. 300 years isn't that long. I've lived my entire existence here without human contact, but i am still seen and recognized by them. I somehow exist to them now but i have always existed. I have been forgotten by them but i still exist through their stories and 'myths'. I have never been human but a spiritual essence of life. If you want a rebirth, you lose spiritual Jack Frost and gain material human identity with no memory of ever being Jack Frost. If you die as a human, you be sent to the land of the dead. Do you still think this is the afterlife? Do you still desire that over this?" Jack watched the old man take hid cup of water and continued drinking while a polar bear came in and sat by him. The spirit glanced to the kitchen, then to his cup of drinking water. "I feel free...freer than ever being Jackson Overland. I was just being playful, goofy, irresponsible older brother. Friends to natives. I was fun. It gave me a purpose. Human life gave me a purpose to be Jack Frost. I was always a human"

"Are you sure about that?"

Jack turned his head to the old man still drinking his water. The fire still ablaze. "What? Of course I'm sure. I was human before. I was a material being who became a spiritual being...and that was that" the giant smiled as he patted his bear's head. "Have any more questions?" Jack turned his attention to the old man. "Yeah. Who are you. Exactly?" He narrowed his eyes in suspicion as the older man's wise smile widened. His wrinkles showing and his long beard lifted with his smile. He gestured to the cup of water in Jack's hand. "Ever wondered where I got that bucket of water? If you drink that water, all of it, you will have the knowledge and memories of your ancient past, but I'm not sure if Mimir wants you to have access to it" "Jack glanced from the cup in his hand to the old man, questioned. "MImir?" "Ah. Silly me. You don't call him that. Probably another deity. Oh! Yes. Manni right?" "Wait. You know Manni?" "Oh yes yes. Deity that rides a chariot to drag the moon across the sky. Yes" the old man flicked his wrist to Jack as said spirit was even more questioned. "Why would..." he stared into the glacial water once again. "Why would Manni not want me to know..." he whispered as the water suddenly rippled inside the cup. Jack looked back to the old man "...who I was before?"

The old man shrugged innocently, but there was a slyness in his wise ocean eyes. "That's why there's a difference between forgotten and forbidden memories. One is accidentally and one is purposefully. But it can be interchangeable according to who seeks it and who locks it away" "You...have a lot of knowledge about this" "Indeed I do" "I still have more questions" "As everyone does. I still have time" "What's your name?" The old man chuckled, now rocking back into the ice chair if that was ever possible. His hands over his beard, stroking it and glimpsing an ornament of a rune fish attached to his beard. "Ah. If I tell you my name you would quickly try to kill me for being a bastard to both you and my glacial ice spirit. If you call her that" Jack quietly mouthed the words 'glacial ice spirit' as he held the cup with both hands. You could practically see the gears working and the realization hitting him hard in the head.

3

2

1...

"You FUCKING BASTARD!"

And there it is.

The old man's grin grew wider as the young spirit was fuming. "I. YOU. YOU. I CAN'T EVEN. YOU MAKE NO SENSE" the old man titled his head playfully. "Oh? How so?" Jack gently placed the blue glass cup down onto a tabletop and continued to glare at the old man, but not do anything since the huge menacing polar bear was with him. "You're telling me you LURED ME here with my _DEAD SISTER'S MEMORY_ , forced me into a forest full of BLOODY fear mongering WAR and made me fight a copy monster to save your _STUPID_ temple and 'your' glacial spirit who you trapped for 84 YEARS just to lure me into _another_ DEATHTRAP! All of this for a some damn drink that Manni DOESN'T WANT ME TO KNOW ABOUT!?" Jack ruffled up his own white locks as he took a few breathes, grinding his teeth in frustration.

The old deity didn't seem to flinch from the outburst, since he had a pretty good reason why he needed to do what he did. He waited until Jack had calmed himself down by the fire. "...and the thing is that you hide yourself so well that the population doesn't know you exist..." "In a way yes, only a few knew about my temple's existence" "So what. The temple and this palace are completely separate?" "Sort of yes. I still have access to my river even from here" Jack turned his back to the old deity and to the furnace. "You're a spiritual river personified?" "Frozen river but yes" "But you're not frozen solid" he shook his head. "No. Just stuck in a frozen wasteland. It used to be so green and full of life! Beasts and hybrids and vegetation and dragons. Good times. Good times" Jack huffed and turned back around to take his cup of water and sat back down in his chair.

"I've decided I won't kill you"

"Wise choice. I'm in fact centuries older than you, I can't be killed that easily"

"Your such a Boomer" Jack huffed through his breathe as slouched in his snow chair. "Insults now?" "Yes! You put me here! You dragged me into this and now I have to have to drink your disgusting spirit water. I still don't know what the hell you want from me Ahto" Ahto shrugged and pat his bear's fur again. "To drink the water" "Yeah but would you mind explaining _why?_ I have to drink the water?" "I just explained it to you. Memories of Manni. Memories of your forgotten past" "Forbidden. Those are _Forbidden_ Ahto, by Manni himself. I. I can't go and betray him like that". Ahto sat up and placed a big hand on the boy's head, turning it to face him. The sea deity looked into the eyes of the winter spirit intensely. "Think. Jack Frost. What was the last memory you saw before you froze in the temple" "but _you_ were the one-" "Think. Remember who you were, who you are now coincides with who you were" Jack took a slow breathe, his eyes searching in the deity's eyes for answers.

His last memory?

Jack glanced down into the cup once again. His reflection. His mirror. His ice blue eyes. The last memory in the temple was a man. A man with a diamond spear. Amour full of domes and crescents. A king and a knight....

"A knight. A-A man...he said to leave the realm. Hide yourself" Jack placed a hand on his head, his eyes wide. "His eyes. They were just like mine" Jack turned to Ahto, who nodded lightly and released his hand from his head. "Ahto who was that? You know who I was before. Tell me! Why wait until I was a guardian to tell me this now?" "Time works differently here Jack Frost. Minutes past by here while days past by there, or the opposite could happen" the winter spirit huffed out through his nostrils, now staring into his cup. "..Manni doesn't want me to know. You said it yourself" "I said 'not sure if he wants you to access'. Different wording" The winter spirit sighed. "So. He wants me to see?" "What do you think? Maybe he does, maybe he couldn't say it to you directly. Many maybes. If you're so desperate, think of this as a gift to rest your mind of questions" "But I still have questions-" "And they will be answered by your history. Now drink up"

Jack eyed Ahto as he placed the cup to his lips and took a sip. His eyes widened and chugged the whole jug of water in one go. He had never felt so famished in his entire existence until now. He gasped for air, the empty cup now in his lap. Wiping his mouth from the excessive water escaping his lips. Ahto laughed. "Ha! And you say your not thirsty! Well how is it? Good to ya taste?" Jack didn't say anything and nodded his head. "My river water is irresistible for both humans and spirits alike! That's why I froze the river over the temple! If that was one of your questions" "It's...its really...not" Jack continued to breathe heavily. Damn that water was fantastic. It will take a couple of of minutes for the memories to ensure" "You..you drink this stuff?" Ahto glanced at the fireplace. "Sometimes I do. Ah. And your last question for me?" "Last question? Why last question?" Jack saw the sea deity stand up from his chair and went towards the furnace and removed the cage to let the fire spread. "...after I answer, you will fall asleep and go back to your realm" Realm? Jack wanted to stand up, but the water he drank had pinned him down to the chair, laying back like a bed. Why was it doing this? "Your last question Jack Frost?" Ahto turned back around to face the winter spirit as the fire blazed out. He did look quite gloomy from the shadows of the fire.

"Why..why are you doing this for me?"

"We're friends aren't we? Centuries ago you came to me, and centuries ago you fought an ancient enemy. There will always be fear. Jack. No matter how happy you are. no matter how much in denial humans can be, it is still there...lurking in the depths of the deep water...Cetus"

Jack closed his eyes out of sheer exhaustion and it was dark yet again.

* * *

[Enchanted Forest, Norway]

[January 7 2028]

Blue eyes jolted awake in realization he wasn't in Ahto's palace anymore, but inside of tent, laying in a bed and no one but him resided. Jack moved his head slowly, feeling himself gain back his senses again. Able to move his limbs, Jack slowly moved his legs to sit up by the bed. His pale feet hitting the carpet floor. Holding his head in throbbing pain, he winced and looked around him. This place looked familiar.... Jack widened his eyes. Oh no the Northuldra! Nokk! Elsa! What-what happened to them?! How long was he here? Jack hastily got himself up, shifting the blanket aside to show he wasn't wearing a shirt or his hoodie, and without a second thought, opened the tent curtain to come face to face with platinum blonde and blue eyes. Jack stopped in his tracks when he was 3 inches away from her shocked expression. It wasn't long until they both screamed and Elsa hit him across the face out of remembering of what he did. The winter spirit fell backwards to the ground, seeing more stars than necessary as Elsa huffed. The two of them were at the camp where the Northuldra were settling for the time. The curtain opened some more to reveal the old chieftain watching the scene. She looked up to Elsa.

"You didn't have to hit him _that_ hard"

Elsa closed her eyes, her hand still in the position as her eyes furrowed. "He deserved it" 


	19. Free-Spirited

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elsa tells Jack what happened while he was unconscious

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's some Jelsa finally

[Enchanted Forest, Norway]

[January 7 2028]

Night fell upon the forest, the eternal spring leaves and flowers of green never seem to fit the wintry scenery that surrounded them. Yet snow and storms were never really seen after so long with the eternal spring, the Northuldra were actually _glad_ to see winter weather. As the camp and people were getting used to the now opened sky and stars beaming down, Jack finally walked out of the tent. Wearing his uniform and rubbing his jaw from an earlier encounter, the first thing the winter spirit noticed were the stars shining down with the Aurora Borealis-colored with blue and magenta-streaming away across the sky. He looked up to the sky with amazement.

"Wow...it's beautiful from down here...despite seeing it countless of times" the spirit stretched his arms, hearing a crack as he stretched his spine. Should he be hearing that from himself? Maybe he was just stiff. Jack shrugged the thought off as he continued to admire the colorful night sky. As he watched the show above him, the campfires warming the surroundings, he wondered how the fog had been lifted. His first thought was Ahto releasing the fog and the second was Elsa lifting it away. At least he was glad that they could finally see the sky now after 8 decades of complete gray. "Hope I'm not getting any wrinkles. 345 years isn't that old" He mumbled to himself without thinking that anyone would hear him. "And I thought I was old" "AHH- Oh for the love of- will you guys stop doing that?!" The guardian jumped over the tent to land on a birch tree branch, seeing the elderly chieftain with her wooden staff laughing from the reaction. The winter spirit rolled his eyes as he gently jumped back down to ground to stand next to the elder, his arms crossed over his chest. Seriously, he had enough of the jump scares. "Three hundred and forty-five, I would never have guessed. Spirits don't usually _have_ an age. They just...exist" she chuckled "Ah, but what do I know? I'm only 90 and soon, maybe I would join my family in the underworld" Jack glanced down to the chieftain, seeing her old and wrinkled face being reflected by the campfire light, to look back up to the shimmering lights above. "...You know what I hate? I hate how limited you humans are. To be stuck here with just one life. From an infant to an elder to nothing but earth...Do you-" He turned his attention to the elderly women next to him, who looked up to meet his gaze. "-ever want to be free from the chains of human life? Just to be free from the suffering of this earth?" She looked away and out to the camp fire, shrugging at the thought. "To me, yes. My ancestors have kept this process as the cycle of life. That we're one with the spirits of nature. We live and we die as our journey is a test to see where each of us will go beyond this temporary world. We're not afraid of our own death, but the death of the earth itself" The chieftain watched the small fire spirit crawl down from a tree and up around the elder's staff, eyeing the elderly women as it licked it's own eye. "And the spirits that reside in it" "You fear that...these spirits that live on earth would cease to exist?" The elderly women nodded "Yes. That's what we suspect and probably fear the most. Everything has a beginning so everything must have an end" "Spirits don't really die...at least they don't stay dead. They just...become something else" 

The two were silent as they watched the tribesmen and children awe and play around with the snow. The earth giants were by the river, calm and finally at peace in a way. Nokk was resting between the ground and the water as the wind spirit flew by the camp happily and swirled around Jack. Gale playfully swiveled around him his clothing and forced his hood over his head. "Hey haha, you're playful one" Jack lowered his hood as the wind spirit left them to go bother others. When Jack watched the wind spirit go by, the chieftain tapped her staff to the ground twice to gain his attention. "Jack...thank you. For bringing her back to us. Even if she came back here herself, you didn't leave her or anyone else behind" said man rubbed his neck "Your welcome, I suppose...wait how do you know my name?" He asked the elder who smiled and used her staff to point to the fireplace settled in the middle of the camp. There sat the platinum blonde girl, holding his staff and the golden box in her hand. He could see Baby Tooth perched on her shoulder. "Elsa told me your name when she carried you here" Jack stared at her back, slowly lowering his hand from his neck and into his pocket. "She...carried me?..." the chieftain nodded as she also watched the fifth spirit lower the box down to the ground next to her. "She has been staring at that box for a couple of hours. I really don't know what it is" Jack started walking away from tent "It's a box of memories" and towards the fireplace.

Elsa sighed as she as lowered the box to the ground. Seeing her baby picture on the side of the box reminded her of time when everything seemed fine. The little fairy was next to her, chirping to her and probably waiting for her to open the tooth box. Elsa probably didn't want to see the memories. She's already seen so much of her own and her parents, maybe it was useless to see them now after all this time. She huddled her knees against her chest and stared into the fire. No matter how hot the fire was, she still felt cold. She heard the sound of crunched snow and grass behind her. She felt an even colder aura next to her, she didn't look away from the fire. "Mind if I sit with you?" Elsa nodded and the winter spirit sat down on her left, his hands in his pockets as his sat cross-legged by the fire. They sat silently as the sounds of crackled wood and laughing children filled the air. Jack glanced down to the tooth box then to the blonde spirit next to her. He huffed as he got more comfortable and placed his hands behind him on the snow. They continued to sit in silence as Baby Tooth hovered over to Jack instead. "...Hi" he broke the silence. "Hi.." she replied. He rubbed his cheek as they stared into the fire. "You know you didn't have to hit me so hard" she chuckled "Sorry" silence again. "So...that box. Are you gonna open it?" Elsa hugged her legs closer and shook her head. "No. I've...I've seen enough of my family in the glacier. If I see them now, it just reminds me of how...alone I am and how I'm such an idiot" Jack sat himself back up. "How are you an idiot?" Elsa chuckled again "I don't know. I didn't want to hurt them. I was scared that I would freeze them all. I thought of myself as a monster and a witch. I just-i just had my sister with me. Now they're...now they're all gone" a tear cascaded down her cheek. Jack quickly and delicately placed his index finger on her cheek. The tear landing on his finger and froze instantly. He took the tear in his hand and placed it in his pocket. "You know the box holds _happy_ childhood memories, never the sad ones. If it helps, I've seen children with horrible childhoods. Most homeless and orphaned, stuck in the freezing cold. Most of them rich and had tons of luck. Others poor and had little to eat. Coming from experience-" Jack laid back in the snow, his hands under his head. "-I'd say that you were one of those lucky kids" Elsa smiled, gripping his staff in her hands at the thought. "...Maybe. But I pushed them all away. I was so naive as a child" she wanted to laugh at herself. "Hm. You could be right. But ive seen grown men being childish and still naive to everything around them" she turned her head to watch him stare up at the night sky, his eyes reflecting the streaming lights.

Still holding the staff, Elsa tightened her grip as she watched him close his eyes. "Jack..." "Yeah?" She scanned his body and saw him one leg over the other. His bare feet close to the fire. He looked so comfortable next to her. "...Who are you? I mean. You came to this forest and you made friends with the spirits. One tribesmen even told me you took control over the giants and killed those old soldiers. You froze the dark sea and-" she turned her attention back to the burning fire. "-you unlocked Ahtohallan's deepest secrets...that only I could do" Jack opened his eyes and shifted them to see the sight of a crescent moon close to the Aurora Borealis. He reached his hand out to the night sky and towards the moon that he's seen for centuries. It was like he was reaching for either the moon or the northern lights. "Jack Frost. A force of nature. A guardian of fun. An ice elf. Personification of winter frost. A free spirit..." he squinted his eyes as he closed his closed over the lights. "...A knight" he whispered the last two words and lowered his hand to rest on top of his chest. Elsa turned to see Jack sit himself back up again and turned his head to her. Dark blue met ice blue. Elsa could see the snowflake pattern in his eyes from the campfire's light and she loosened her posture. Her legs shifted be sit more comfortably and she rested the staff over her lap, still holding onto it. There was this...presence in his eyes that showed he was relaxed and cool; but there was a deep intensity to them. Electrifying. "Question" Elsa jumped lightly. She'd been distracted by the pattern in his eyes. "Yes?" "How long was out?" "What do you mean?" "For the sky to brighten and the snow to fall and- is that my ice bear?" Jack looked past her to see his ice creation play in the snow and run around with an earth giant miles away. Elsa followed his line of sight to see the said bear rolling in the snow. "Oh. Yeah. He's been pretty playful lately" Jack glanced to the platinum girl, who's thick locks blew lightly in the winter wind. He coughed.

"Why do you have my staff?" Elsa turned her head to him then to his staff on her lap. She was still holding it tightly.

"Oh. Well um. It's kind of a long story" Elsa bit her lip, still looking at his ice covered staff. "I have time" she took a slow breathe "It happened 2 weeks ago-"

* * *

[Dark Sea]

[December 29 2027]

The sounds of the ice below their feet grew louder, the ice spirit could feel the floor break apart and let both spirits drop to their otherwise watery doom. The waters below her were black, black as the night sky and full of fear. She had held unto the white haired man as they fell from the glacier and hurtfully splashed into the arctic sea. The ice spirit's eyes had been closed when she felt the water hit her body with a ten ton force that could break her back. She felt his hands loosened from her grip and the natural cold temperature of the ocean rose. Why-why was it getting warmer? She jolted her eyes open when she heard- yes heard- something in the water move around them both. The shift in sea current prickled her skin, she unable to capture what was circling around them, but she knew it was enormous in comparison to the earth giants. She swiveled her head, seeing the light of the glacier's magic diminish above her, the thick ice crumbled to pieces and are now floating above her. She could see him, Jack, drifting aimlessly to the darkest depths. His eyes closed, his limbs unmoved, his lips parted but no air bubbles escaped. The remaining light of the glacier glowed like a beam of moonlight, shining down onto his figure as he was drowning slowly. Elsa could move her limbs, she wasn't freezing nor feeling the cold bite her flesh. Kicking her legs and moving her arms, she swam to the unconscious man a foot away from her, her dress sill floating around him in a way that resembled a covering for a dead man. His cloak wrapped around her shoulders tightly, his wooden staff unseen with the box in the black abyss. The scroll of Ahtohallan was gone, destroyed and dampened into pieces by the underwater currents and the falling chunks of ice. Even more chunks fell into the water and floated like icebergs to an aimless direction. The beam of light disappeared and what was left to bring light could be the open sea, yet the open sea seemed so far away. As Elsa swam to the man, she took notice on what was watching them both: A beast.

Huge with eyes as wide as they are yellow and the stare that would give you shivers. What-what is that thing? Is wasn't a whale that was for certain. If it was then it would've been extinct by now. Elsa held her breathe, still in thought that she would drown, and followed the beast's movements. Only the eyes were glowing, enormous and serpent like. She wanted to ignore the stare and focus on finding some other light source. She waved her hand as she finally approached the unconscious Jack, hoping for any sign of her magic to resurface. She waved again, nothing happened. She furrowed her eyebrows, fear anger and impatience were her emotions when the yellow eyed beast had caught her view again in the darkness. Elsa gently held Jack against her body, even if the glowing eyes of the beast had shown his facial structure, she could feel his body. It was so cold and so...so numb.

Elsa moved her head to find something, anything to use as a light instead of the haunting stare of this reptile. A couple of icebergs had floated by them as she swam with one arm and the beast had gone away. Elsa placed her hand on the ice, feeling the cold and sliver of magic that resided and was frozen inside. There was still magic! Ice magic! Her magic was still here. The source of her powers. If she could just transfer it over to her maybe...she placed her hand unto the iceberg and not a minute later the vein and streaks that Ahtohallan guided her trailed from the iceberg to her finger tips. She felt the magic flow through her own veins but only a quarter of what she normally possessed. Looking at her palm, the familiar blue glow of ice had soothed her worries but only for so long. The glow dimmed to form a light, illuminating the darkness of these warm waters. She couldn't use this much for a regular blast of ice, her only thought was to use this on something other then her palm- his staff! From the piles of icebergs that glowed a familiar blue stood the wooden staff, floating on its own against the light of the ice. Elsa quickly swam to the staff, touching each ice to get some sort of magical strength back. Each iceberg she touched held an ounce of ice magic that could help her in some way or another. When she took the staff in her hand, what surprised her was the glacial magic from her hand transferred to the staff. The staff glowed an icy blue. That was enough light to guide her way in the dark. Though to her she never knew if the sun was out or not so she had to use some source of light. Elsa turned, with the glowing staff lighting the way, and swam to find the golden box while Jack was still secured against her body. He didn't weigh too much in the water so it was easier to take hold of him. Yet it bothered her to some extent.

Elsa stopped in her tracks, the darkness of the waters held the yellow monstrous eyes of a fish. One glowing eye stared at them as she held the staff out to see the beast clearer. The blue light reflected some of the beast's facial features. Armored scales like a serpent. A slit mouth that held fangs as sharp and slim like any snake. Whiskers and webbed fins atop its head. It really was a monster. What-what was a sea serpent doing down here? Was this the one that- Elsa didn't continue to question when she felt a wave of water behind her. She turned the staff around to see an even larger tail with fins like a mermaid. Legs were possibly seen but moved too quickly in the water. Elsa turned back to the sea serpent who's eyes reflected both spirits as tiny and scarce. Elsa opened her mouth. No air bubbles had escaped but that didn't concern her if water entered her lungs or not. She was afraid and so terrified and vulnerable in its presence. This sea serpent could be titanic in size, living in the ocean depths for who knows how long. She never recalled meeting a creature like it in her travels. The ocean was a place of fear and yet the magic river flowed to it.

Jack was still in her arm when the serpent's slit eye moved to look directly at him before turning its head to them both. The glow of the staff revealed the serpent's mouth and nose with those glowing yellow eyes. It wasn't a common type of serpent she's seen. Elsa lifted the staff higher to see horns sparkling blueish black and fins for ears attached to the head. She couldn't see the tip of the serpent since it moved so swiftly in the darkness, but she could tell that it neither appeared friendly, nor did it look forgiving. The serpent opened its mouth, eyes bulging wide as any fish, and glared its fangs against the light of the staff. Its jaw expanded like a whale, but there were no bristles, just a row of fangs. It was a nightmare in her view and she desperately wanted to swim away like a little trout. Yet the serpent didn't do anything, its teeth ferocious and its jaw agape. Eyes of yellow amber locking onto hers. The serpent's body moved to circle around them both, but did nothing else. Elsa kept swimming in the same spot, holding tightly to the man in one hand and the staff in the other. Sh-Should she shoot it? Elsa took a breath underwater, which would be impossible unless she wasn't exactly human anymore, and watched the serpent close its mouth. The most strangest thing is, it was..communicating to her through...through telepathy.

_You...._

_All...your...fault_

Elsa opened her mouth, but closed it again. Did she want to respond? What did it mean it was her fault? She didn't do anything wrong...unless it was referring to Jack, or Ahtohallan. She quickly distracted herself from the panic of being eaten to focus on communicating back.

_'What do you mean my fault? Did you-did you destroy the river?'_

_Judge-ment...comes. Ahto...hallan. Chose...you. Set me...free_

The serpent moved it's jaw as it was talking, but of course, nothing else could be heard in the ocean. It's voice was like a nightmare in her mind.

_'But I. I didn't set you free. Free from what? Who are you?'_

The serpent's jaw stopped moving, looking directly to the man in her arm as the glowing light of the staff continued to reveal the serpent's enormous body. It was getting closer to them, the long eel-like body coiled itself around them as if they were it's prey.

_Of Pride. Ignorance. Arrogance._

_You...will pay...the price...for what...you have done to me!_

Elsa looked up, seeing the serpent's jaw open wide and over their heads despite the ruins and bergs of the glacier around them. The serpent then began to dart down to devour them both, but a forceful hit from the right knocked the serpent from taking a bite. The girl was confused as to what hit the monster until a flash of a familiar horse appeared with its own glowing light. It held the golden box in its mouth. The stallion swam before her and Elsa's eyes widened in joy. She wanted to rejoice with him but it wasn't the time. Elsa placed the tip of the staff on Nokk, who's water exterior turned to ice, and created a rien to keep a hold on. Elsa placed Jack on top of Nokk's back with her keeping him in place. She rode behind the unconscious man and Nokk swiftly left the scene. As the serpent shook its head and noticed the two had escape, it uncoiled itself and swam as fast as any eel, equal to the water spirit's stamina, towards them all.

_You...think you can...outrun me?! You are...nothing!"_

Elsa and Nokk rode out of the ocean depths and onto the surface of the sea, where to her surprise there were chunks upon chunks of ice drifting away and around the dark sea. When she finally inhaled the air and looked behind her to see the glacier had collapsed, she wanted to ask Nokk what happened. "Nokk. What happened!?" The water spirit didn't answer her right away when she heard the ice continued to crack and creak below them. The ice sheets were unstable and proved difficult for her and Nokk to get through, yet they kept running and leaping away from the serpent and what was left of Ahtohallan to who knows where. The sound of the water rushed behind them from 4 miles away. The serpent breached itself through the ice, shoving away the tipped icebergs and revealing itself as a blackened and horrifying see serpent. Its many horns glistened a blueish black as well as most of its body. Its trail of webbed fins sparkling white and gray. It's body was again titanic and nothing like the marine life she encountered. It roared a bloodcurdling and haunting sounds as it ascended from it's ocean depths. The serpent followed the spirits from behind, catching up to them as Elsa could hear the range of communication easily. He was angry, furious yet free. He was finally free from his icy chains and ready to destroy the world with fear. She leaned forward into the back of Jack's neck. He was still cold, still unconscious and still unable to move. His limbs hanging from his sides and slipping from the horse. She had to forcefully keep him against her chest, which was a hassle while looking about her surroundings, and wished he could just wake up from what Ahtohallan had done to him.

Elsa huffed through her nose as she rearranged the snowflake rein to make sure it wrapped around them both so he wouldn't fall from the horse and get himself killed. After she had done that, she realized where they were going. The ice spirit could see the other mountains of Norway from here as the potential hail storm vanished and the light of day appeared. Thank god it was morning when it stopped. "We're heading towards Norway...shit he's gaining on us! We can't let him get there...Nokk turn around!" The stallion shook his head and widened his eyes in confusion and shock. Turn around to face that titanic serpent? She's going mad! Elsa patted the horse's head in response. "It's okay Nokk, I have a plan. We're not fighting him head on. Maneuvering him away that's all" she whispered as the giant serpent gained up on them. Elsa, after leaping from a titling iceberg and noticing a giant bear roaring towards them from afar, swiftly turned around towards to where the ice bear was. The cracked and swaying of ice below them made it even more difficult since even more water was pushing the ice away from their feet. Nokk jumped onto the surface of the water and, with his stamina, galloped all the way to the ice bear with the golden horn. The icebergs behind them titled and swayed as they moved, getting destroyed and calving as the serpent swam. "An ice bear... Did you make that?" Elsa asked the unconscious man in front of her, who's cold pale head rested on her left shoulder. "You don't need to respond. I'm quite impressed actually....though I _probably_ should have placed you behind me. It would've been better for the both of us" she shrugged and whipped the reins again to move faster. As they reached the iceberg with the giant horned bear, Nokk stopped in front of the bear as Elsa scanned the scale of the creature. It was 50 feet tall as it stood on all fours, laying there as it watched the whole scene unfold. "I'm surprised he didn't melt. Okay Jack up you go. Then we just...there we go! Perfect" Elsa took the reins off of them both to carry him up to the ice bear's prickles of frosty fur while Nokk used his water to help them get up to the top. The stallion guarded them all as Elsa took the magic reign and lassoed the bear as best as she could. Jack still in the front of her, his head against her shoulder as his body laid on the frosty fur. "Nokk. Make sure he doesn't get to us or to Norway. I still need some time..."

Elsa and Nokk silently stared at each other, knowing that this was a parting of ways for a brief amount of time. Nokk bowed his head to her and dove down into the ocean between the ice. She turned her attention to the black serpent sticking out like a soar thumb, its webbed spine trailing out between the ice sheet. She turned to the ice bear and then to the unconscious Jack before her, the golden box in his pocket. She sighed at the predicament she was in, but she had to keep going despite the odds. She quickly wiped her eyes. "Lets see how fast you can go. Hyaa!" The ice bear then started jumping from one ice sheet to another as quickly as possible, running away from the serpent in the opposite direction of her country.

The Ice bear had been running down the Greenland sea for at most 30 minutes. The wind picking up as they rode across the sea with the sun lighting the sky by them. She would've loved the scenery if they weren't being chased by a nightmare serpent that had been freed. Elsa was worried that the ice bear had no more ice to jump over, and she definitely didn't want the bear to swim in the sea any time soon. When they had reached the end of the broken ice and towards the open sea, her worry heightened. What. What was she going to do? The ice magic, her magic was still so week and the ones in the glacier weren't strong enough compared to what she had always possessed. Elsa glimpsed down to her hand holding the ice covered staff. It glowed before so why wasn't it working now? Unless it just for the darkness, nothing happened to the staff. She glimpsed from the staff to Jack, who was still unconscious with the slowest heartbeat she has ever heard. He was still there right? He could still wake up at any moment. Or maybe hear her voice? She closed her eyes.

"Jack. If you're still there. Wake up, please. Help me. Do something...anything. Anything at all" she whispered close to him, hearing the serpent's roar closing in. It wasn't long until the ice below them flung away and the 300 miles wide serpent appeared with its jaw and eyes wide ready to devour. The size of the ice bear can never be compared to the menacing scale of its height. Elsa could hear it talk to her again.

_You fools! You...are not...gods! You will pay!_

Before the serpent could devour them all, a blinding glow opened the girl's eyes. Before her, the man was glowing again, frost and ice spiraled out like sparks and she could see his hands colored an ice blue. What-what was happening to him? Was he turning to ice? The staff she was holding glowed the same amount. A spiral of ice magic seethed through wood and her own veins. She could feel it. Electric and stinging cold, chaotic and out of control. Elsa swiftly moved the staff, flinching from the shocking stings of the staff, and placed crooked tip right at the serpent's mouth. She could feel the power within her stir itself up and a blast of ice shot out from the crooked tip. Elsa couldn't see what type of blast it was, her eyes were closed because of the pain his power held. It felt like frostbite and being electrocuted at the same time. When the blast was finished, she finally opened eyes to see they way away from the dreaded serpent, who's jaws and face had froze in a block of frosted glacial ice. The beast fell back into the ocean resulting in a light tsunami of water. The water resulted in pushing the bear further away from the island and country. The bear's horn glowed and it beamed an ice trail to further keep balance and run away from the area. Elsa turned around to the front to face the unconscious man, whose glowing had diminished and his limbs returned back to its normal color. She stared at the staff in astonishment and question before gripping it tightly in her hand.

As they kept moving towards the giant island of Greenland, she wanted to know if she could turn around and go back, but the lingering fear of encountering the serpent again raced her mind again. She tugged at the reins to slow the bear down a bit. It had been a couple of hours after after sunrise, and she didn't know what had changed dramatically in the country or the continents. Eighty four years. How much did everything change?

"Or maybe some things never change"

Elsa sang to herself as the ice bear ran slower then intended, but it gave her enough to watch the sun move by. The north wind blowing her locks as she held Jack in her arms. She turned her attention to Jack, who looked so pale and so..so hollow. She's only met him twice in her life and yet...there was comfort and familiarity in him that was just like hers. She didn't know him at all. He maybe lived longer than her and she knows nothing of this man, but they were brought together for some purpose by Ahtohallan. Elsa looked at his face, and tears swelled up in her eyes in remembering her sister. How old she was, how tired and pale should get. Her children, grandchildren nieces and nephews...they were all gone. They all died years ago. She was still alive. Was this normal for him too? Elsa tightened her grip around him and lowered her head, more cascading down her cheeks and onto his chest.

"Like how I'm holding on tight to you"

She sobbed and shook loudly into chest. They were alone in the sea and reality still hits her in the heart. Her sister was gone. Her parents were gone. The tribe could be gone. Her home was gone.

Ahtohallan was gone.

* * *

The fire that was illuminating and surrounding them both lessened as the sticks were burned to ash. Elsa and Jack stayed quietly in their spots. Jack watching her stop talking and grimly look to the fire. "...A sea serpent huh?" Elsa nodded. "Under Ahtohallan?" "I-I don't know...maybe?" She hugged herself. "I don't know if it was under it or was apart of it. I never knew it existed to begin with...I just-I just made Ahtohallan as my home for decades or centuries and now..." she finally turned to the winter spirit, tears falling down again. Jack stayed silent as she cried. "Ahtohallan is destroyed Jack. My memories, my parents memories, my ancestors. All gone. They were, they were the only thing I had going for me. Mother wanted me to be something like this. She made sure I'm not the monster I thought I was. But I couldn't hear her as a child. I was too afraid and shut out everyone I loved. Now she's gone too" she hugged her knees again with a bitter smile. "This is what I get for depending on a magical glacier full of real life memories for years" she sniffed. They were silent again for a few more minutes. Jack watched a family of two walk past them. A toddler was running around and playing as the mother tried to catch up to him. One child held a ball of snow he rolled around and placed it over a bigger one while a reindeer was watching her.

"So how did you get back here to the forest?" "Well. When we reached Greenland and stayed there because of the Inuit that live there, there was tall women with black hair and a green dress. She said something about finally finding you, giving you a lesson and beating you up. Calling you malicious and-" "Okay. I get it. I'm guilty as charged" "-she suggested to bring you to the North Pole after seeing what happened to you but didn't want these...guardians to make a fuss about you. She recognized who I was and what Ahtohallan was, so she decided to help me get back to the forest without being noticed" "And she decided to let me stay with you? Instead of the guardians?" Elsa nodded lightly. "In a way. She says "I see something in you that could balance him out. Like a traditional counterpart of some sort" that was last thing she said to me before she left" Jack lowered himself to back into the snow. "Really...she actually saw that in you?" Elsa nodded and fell back into the snow next to him. The camp fire diminished into a trail of smoke as the two laid back into the snow. The golden box by their feet and Baby Tooth humming away somewhere. They both watched the sky as the trails of lights blue and magenta past by them, dancing around with the stars. A shooting star had past by in a color of dark blue. Jack widened his eyes only for a second at the sight of the colored trail by the crescent moon. "Did you see that?" He asked, pointing to the sky. "See what?" "That. That shooting star. It was so blue and so bright. Brighter than-" Jack turned his head, not expecting to meet her gaze again. She was just looking at him, hugging the staff against her body. Did she pay attention to the sky at all? Elsa blinked, her tears now wiped away as the snow below her was positioned like a pillow. There was snow falling from above even though it was a clear night sky. "Than what?" "Uh. N-never mind" he turned his attention back to the sky and rested his hand on his body.

it was silent between them once again. They were just staring at the night sky in awe and in deep thought together. "...Jack?" "Hmm?" "Thank you" "I didn't do anything" Elsa chuckled. "Well. You did a lot for me" "Two days doesn't mean a lot you know. I just went to the glacier and knocked some sense into you. A glacier isn't really a home. I've done that plenty of times but I just feel like I don't belong there. Its just a place of isolation and exile" "...in Ahtohallan. Your memories. I've seen most of them" Jack cringed "Oh. All of them? Even the stupid stuff?" She chuckled "Well I don't know which one's were stupid or just cute" "Ugh. They were not cute or funny. "Oh great now I remember them clearly!" Jack lifted his hood up over his eyes as Baby Tooth hovered over him and dropped a snow ball over him. The result made her laugh. Jack muffled a scream under the pile of snow. "Agony!!" Another snowball was planted on his face by the fairy. Jack muffle screamed louder. Elsa burst out laughing when Baby Tooth planted a few more snow balls over his face. Resulting in him getting buried in snow at the third scream. Jack lifted his arm up and pointed to the fairy accusingly without knowing where she was. "Baby Tooth how dare you!" He muffled and the fairy lifted her nose in the air to drop another snowball. "How dare you-" plop "-do this-" plop "-to me-" plop "-I thought-" plop "we were-" plop "Friends!" Jack wiped away the snow piled over his face to see that the fairy wasn't doing it. But a Northuldran child with a grin on his face and another snow ball in his hand. "Oh. Hi there" Jack waved to the kid with a smile to only get a face full of snow. Both the child and Elsa were laughing at scene. The winter spirit sat himself up as the snow slid down his face and unto his lap. He faced them both. "Not. Funny" "Your right. It's not. Its hilarious" Elsa wiped away a tear. The child took another snow ball and threw it at his face again, sticking his tongue out. Jack wiped the snow from his eyes and stuck his own tongue out at the child. "Oh you think you're so funny?" Jack crafted a few snowballs in the snow and stood himself up.

"Well let's see if you can ten of these" he picked up a few snowballs and threw them towards the now running child. "You can't catch me!" "Haha! Oh yeah?!" Elsa watched the two suddenly play a round of snowball fights and making forts. Soon the other children gathered to team up against him, who made a little animated snowman army to equal the numbers. The children were laughing and having fun in his presence as forts were being made and crumbled to the ground. The reindeer were used a tool to escape the guardian's and snowmen's wrath. Elsa saw a couple of adults joined in for the thrill of fun, others being hit by his fun magic. Sooner or later almost the whole Northuldran tribe gathered for a snowball fight. Adults against children with bits of snowmen and spirits coming in to play. Elsa just stayed by the tent of the chieftain, watching with amusement and a delightful smile on her face. The chieftain walked out of her tent with wide eyes to see the scene unfold. She was equally amazed by what had just happened. "I...I've never seen such happiness before. In so long. Even the beaten and the depressed...its been years..." Elsa glanced down to the elder who's tears fell silently. "How-how did this happen? They would-they would never play or make sculptures or do...anything because of the war and now..." "It's a miracle isn't it?" Elsa leaned back against a tree, her arms crossed over her chest. "That he showed up unexpectedly and turned the their life around. Everyone's enjoying themselves" The elder wiped her own tears away. Elsa took her hand and collected the frozen tears in her own the tears were shaped like the water rune. She did see him collect more tears from the adults and children alike to place them in his pocket. She wondered what he wanted to collect those tears for. "He's such a free spirit" the chieftain said with a smile. Elsa glanced up from the tears to the man in the middle of the fight and who started it all. She saw his smiling and joyful face as he got hit and threw more snowballs at the children. She couldn't help but feel this humble thankfulness in her heart, so she couldn't stop smiling as he did. Elsa closed her eyes and held the frozen tears against her chest.

"Thank you. Jack Frost"


	20. Dreams and Visitations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elizabeth talks about her 'nightmares' to Jamie.  
> Jack encounters an old soldier.  
> Emily decides to visit the ice castle

[Burgess, Pennsylvania]

[January 7, 2028]

It was a clear night, the stars were out and there were a few cars in the streets. Snow had been melting and turning into a mucky gray from all of the machines and technology around the town. The town square was quiet and no one was really around to see the lamp lights turn on and shine on the frosted trees. The founding family's statue of the town was slowly freezing in frost. No one was there except Jamie, in his winter outfit and looking up at the green statue. The winter wind blew between him and the statue. His brown eyes exhausted in the hour of midnight. The moon waxing above him. He carried a book against his side and a scarf around his neck. His eyes zoomed in on the questionable frost trail that was left from a week ago. The trail of beautiful ferny frost started from the pavement and streamed upwards-freezing the plate of words- towards the boy of the statue. Out of the four people, the frost completely covered the boy holding the rifle and slightly frosted the others. It was so strange, seeing the statue for the millionth time now, to see only one side of it being frozen. Jamie sighed as he stared out at the statue and below the plate name.

"Thaddeus Burgess..."

"Sounds Hebrew"

Jamie jumped a tiny bit at the sound of another voice beside him. He was not expecting anyone to be out in the middle of the night. He turned his head to see Elizabeth standing next to him. Her blonde hair in two braids and glasses over her eyes. She too was looking up at the statue. "H-hi Elizabeth. Uh. What are you doing up so late?" Jamie fiddled with his scarf. "I was going to ask the same thing. Your eyes are very black" he chuckled "Heh. I uh. I couldn't sleep" "Why's that?" She turned to meet his gaze and he quickly looked away. "Oh uh. You know...studying" "About what?" "...Lochnes monster?" Elizabeth grinned and turned her attention back to the statue. "I never thought that monster was an urban myth. People believe it was real and many believe its just a hoax. Is Thaddeus British?" Jamie shrugged as he stared up at the man in green. "it does say he's an first settler of the town" he pointed to the plate against the concrete. "I guess so? Why do you think he's Hebrew?, he looks American" He lowered his arm and turned his attention to her. "The first name 'Thaddeus' is Hebrew and...is Burgess really his last name?" Elizabeth raised an eyebrow in question. Jamie shrugged again. "No idea. I just don't care about history with America that much. Though, for some reason I just have a feeling to go here when I'm stressed or depressed about something. Like..." Jamie looked at the two females of the green statue, his eyes narrowed. "...something familiar is tugging me here. For 5 years I would come here for no reason" Elizabeth stepped closer to him. "Maybe you felt a familiar spirit inside the statue? Or...another part of you wanted to be here?"

He cracked a smile, titled his head to the concrete and lifted his head to meet her blue eyes. "Yeah. Maybe. I would read near the pond for most of my teenage life, now I just go here to talk to statues. Is that weird?" Elizabeth shook her head and placed her hand on his shoulder. "No. I don't think so. I talk to statues too. Back in Norway, I would talk to a couple of them even with people around. Maybe they thought I was going crazy or I was just alone" "Were you alone?" "No. Not really. I like being in my thoughts. Or just talking to myself. There was this one statue I liked to talk to" Elizabeth took out her phone and scrolled through her picture gallery. She showed him a picture of a green and black statue that was settled in a garden with other sculptures. It was a boy and a girl looking out and standing strong, holding hands. The boy wore a uniform and the girl wore what looked like native clothing. It was hard to see the details, but Jamie could see what type of clothing it was. There was a plate below it connected to the ground. The plate only showed the names of the two kids. "Huh. Who were they suppose to be?" "I don't know, but I do know that it was moved from a pillar in the city to the garden. One person told me that the monarchy wanted it removed from the center of the city and plan to melt it, but an old man suggested to transport it in the empty garden. He was collecting old statues and artist sculptures to freshen the area a bit". "Hmm, that was in the middle of city?" Jamie took her phone in his hand and zoomed in the words of the plate.

IDUNA AND AGNARR. Built in 1842.

Jamie continued to scan the picture up close, seeing some of the details and the inaccuracy of the eye and head size. He did see some plants surrounding them both. He switched from looking at her phone to the family statue before him. "As a child, I didn't have that many friends to talk to, I would walk to the little garden of statues because I had this feeling that they held something within. They were life sized, so it was easier to talk to them. I would talk all day about my woes and thoughts of many things" Jamie gave her back the phone and she continued to talk. "You know, a couple of weeks ago, there was a spirit that came by here. He made magic tricks out of ice and froze the statue. He urged me to follow him here. I was trying to hunt for his trails, I've seen about three of them that was connected to the statue. So I thought 'Maybe this spirit was guiding me here to contact others in the statue? Or the boy it froze over was the spirit roaming around the town' I don't know really. But I could somehow sense he aura. He also pinned me to a wall once" Jamie turned his head to her with wide eyes. "I-I'm sorry _what_? This spirit pinned you to a wall? For what and why?" Elizabeth giggled. "Maybe to get my attention? It was so weird but fun to guess who he was. He froze my book once" "Maybe to make you stop reading?" "That's what my little brother thought too". A small winter wind flew by them both as they continued to stare up at the statue.

Jamie noticed the lack of a jacket on her as the wind blew. She shivered only a little bit. "How are you not cold? It's freezing at midnight" "Scandinavia. Always cold in the North and so I had to deal with it and adjust. It's full of snow over there" Jamie nodded. "Ah. So why are you up? Stressed?" Elizabeth hugged herself and looked away from statue and to the ground. "I...I had a nightmare. Well more or so a vision but it felt like a nightmare. Maybe it already happened? I don't know for sure what it means. So I snuck out and wanted to talk to that statue" she looked up and hunched her shoulders with a defeated sigh. "Maybe I am going crazy. First it was a calling, then moving here, interacting with spirits. Now I'm getting visions" "Were you trying to get away from that?" She shrugged. "Kind of..." "Do you want to talk about it?" Elizabeth noticed Jamie taking out his scarf and wrapping it around her neck and shoulders. She smiled at his kind gesture. He rubbed the back of his neck and blushed. "Uh. I know it's not that cold for you but, it bothered me somewhat" she reached for his hand "Thank you. We can talk about it" Jamie followed her to the benches in the town square.

As they sat on the bench, Jamie placed his book to the side, waiting for her to talk about her nightmare. Elizabeth only looked down to her lap as Jamie rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb. She exhaled and started to talk again. "These visions kind of happen once a month. The latest was tonight. I was running in a field of white. Everything was white, trees, plants, houses, mountains. I was at home and I was happy. It wasn't white before and I thought it was just every other snowfall. It wasn't snowing at all. I thought I was being chased by my little brother in a game, but he wasn't there at all. I was still running but it felt like I wasn't going anywhere. Stuck in the mud and trying so hard to get out. As I was trying to run away, I saw everything around me started to crumble and blew away to ash. As the earth was crumbling, I saw a wave of water form and head right towards me. From behind I turn to see that I was encased in ice and unable to move. I heard a women say something and she showed herself fighting a black beast. The beast took her and ate her. I wanted to close my eyes but I couldn't. It was like I knew her. She was so close to me and now she's gone. The sky was turning red and the wave of water got closer and it formed into...into a giant horrific dragon. It was about to eat me but it stopped and spoke to me instead. I couldn't remember what it said before it ate me. Then I looked up to see the moon. Big and bright. White with a red glow. I woke up by the sound of the wind. Now I'm here" Elizabeth tightened her grip on the scarf. They were silent for a few minutes. Jamie kicking a couple of rocks by his feet. He didn't let go of her hand. "...that's some dream. You, you said these visions come once a month?" She finally looked up to him and nodded. "When it's a full moon. Yeah. I started having them when I was 10. I couldn't bare them so I had to use a nightlight for help. Each one was different, but I wasn't the same person each time. I wasn't Elizabeth Øverland. I was either this or that. But I know I was the same person when I saw that women again" "Who was the woman?" "Someone I knew as family" "She didn't tell you her name?" Elizabeth shook her head. "No. A total mystery to me" "Hmm" Jamie released her hand and leaned back on the bench, looking up at the night sky full of stars. Seeing the full moon glow bright.

Every full moon. Every month she gets a vision of something? Was it a past or a future vision? "You..heh...you have something remarkable" "Do you remember all of them?" "No. I write them down in a dream journal to remember most of them" "I don't have a dream journal, but I have tons of belief that there's more than what we know. Like spirit realms and myths" Jamie chuckled. "I guess somethings never change from childhood" "So why are you up so late?" Jamie sat back up to face her. "I told you I was studying about the Lochness Monster" "Didn't you say you come here because of depression?" "I- yeah" he leaned back against the bench again "...I am. Well not really depressed but more so in the same situation as you" she loosened her grip on his scarf. "Like what?" Jamie placed his hands in his pockets as he huffed out and gazed at the twinkling winter sky. "I had a nightmare, but it felt like a dream of some sort. I couldn't sleep and couldn't go back to sleep so I just came here". Another silence between them as another wind blew by. Elizabeth leaned back against the bench, also looking up at the sky. "What was it about?" "I...saw a man. Round and chubby, standing on top of a mountain. He felt so fun to be around and he lived a long life. It was so weird. He was next to a goose and he looked into a telescope. In the sky was the sun. Bright and burning. I saw a shooting star fall from the sky. The star was black, and it felt cold. It was full of fear and anger and hatred. I was worried for him. I told him to run, but nothing came from my mouth. He couldn't hear me. Then it hit the mountain and the whole earth was covered in darkness and chaos. I don't know if I was apart of it, but then in the sea of fear and demons came a boy wearing a crown that trailed a giant river. It was being chased by a sea monster. I tried yelling to him but it was too late. The boy was eaten. The whole earth melted away. I woke up"

Jamie and Elizabeth sat quietly in the square. "That sounds like a vision" "Yeah? Huh. It was pretty weird. Maybe it was from the past?" Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders "Could be. Dreams can be strange huh" Jamie nodded "Definitely" "Well I'm going to bed, see you tomorrow?" Elizabeth stood up from the bench and Jamie followed suit. She took off his scarf and wrapped it around his neck gently. They both smiled at each other before Elizabeth talked "When is your birthday?" He blinked "Oh, February 28. Next month" she beamed "Really? So you're a Pisces" Jamie nodded in agreement "Yeah I am, you like constellations?" "Of course I do. I love reading about the stories of each zodiac and there symbolism. There is a story about your constellation with Perseus and-" Jamie watched her light up as she talked, which was adorable and all but it was past midnight. He took her hand and rubbed it with his thumb. "Elizabeth, we should go to bed. We'll talk about later" She hushed herself and blushed out of embarrassment. "Oh...oops. i went off again?" He chuckled "No not really, its just late and I'm getting tired" "Ah. Okay" She nodded and gently kissed his cheek before walking away back to her house. After she left the square, Jamie rubbed his cheek and thought to himself. Perseus. A hero who saved Andromeda from the sea monster. A Greek myth. Jamie began walking back to his own house after midnight, unknowing to him that something was watching him from behind the statue.

* * *

[Enchanted Forest, Norway]

[January 13 2028]

The glowing and dancing of the lights above illuminated most parts of the forest as darkness and stars surrounded the trees and mountains. After the epic snowball fight with the natives ended with loads of laughter and play fights, the parents were the first ones to be tuckered out. They went all back into their tents and housing while saying good night to the elders who were already resting by themselves. The Elder chieftain watched one by one as her people left the snowball fight and went to bed. She watched the winter spirit still in the middle of his game playing with a circle of children, dodging the snowballs with grace and getting hit on purpose by them. Eventually the children were tired as Jack was the complete opposite, he was still able to play games and still had so much childlike energy it made sense. He is a spirit with no human limitations, yet there seemed to be such an old soul in his eyes that was masked by being childlike that she could easily see. When only 3 children were left on the field besides Gale, the elder placed herself against a tree, turning her head to see Elsa still watching the game, holding something against her chest tightly. Her eyes seemed invested and interested in the winter spirit still mocking and playing around despite the very late hours. "He seems lonely doesn't he?" Elsa blinked from her inner thoughts and turned to the elder who held a gentle smile. "What? I don't think he's lonely, he doesn't look lonely at least. He's having fun with the natives" She turned her attention back to the game to see a child throw a ball and smack it right in the back of the spirit's head. Jack fell into the snow off guard with a thump and a muffled playful scream. The child threw his arms in the air with a winning laugh. "Finally!" The other two kids quickly pushed a pile of snow on top and around the winter spirit, burying him under the snow. Jack was still muffling as the snow covered his limbs and torso. He managed to lift his head up to see a child in front of him carry a pile of snow and successfully dump it over his head. Elsa giggled as the three children were tuckered out and left to go sleep in their tents. The ones that were left on the field were the wind and fire spirit, a couple of snowmen, and the little fairy fluttering over him. The Chieftain yawned, a tear escaping her eye as she covered her mouth. "Well, I'm going to bed. Past my bed time. Where are you going to sleep?" Elsa sighed and crossed her arms. "...I don't know. I'm not sure if I _can_ sleep" She turned attention back to the elder, who pushed herself up with the help of Elsa and started to walk back to her tent. "Well, I'm sure you will. Goodnight Elsa" Said woman watched her leave the spot and walk directly inside her tent. 

Now it was just the spirits out in the campsite with a couple of decorated snowmen and a beautiful night sky. Elsa looked up to the sky to watch the northern lights dance in many colors and also a trail of golden sand from afar floating towards them. Elsa's eyes widened and she left her spot to see the trails of golden sand dance in the sky, passing her entirely towards the tents. She watched the golden trails, full of dreams, slither about her and end upon a child's head. They were the same trails of sand she kept seeing all her life at night, roughly at the same hours or so. Also at night or where the moon shows itself, the golden sand would appear everywhere, or maybe when they were asleep at any given time. Most of her life she didn't know who created these or what sent them down, but they were so beautiful to see and experience. That it created its own light and separate like chords to anyone who sleeps. Elsa silently admired the glowing streams of golden sand and smiled, feeling the joy in the magic. "It's always so enchanting" she whispered as she watched the magic flow about, seeing from the corner of her eye the little fairy fly towards her, carrying the tooth box in her hand with the help of Gale. Elsa turned her attention to the box that they both were carrying and placed in gently into her hands. Elsa looked down to the golden box as the last two streams of golden sand flew closely by her. One was so close to her ear that she could hear an echo of a dream through the sand that widened her eyes and gripped the tooth box tighter in her hands. It was a humming of a mother's voice singing sweetly to her child while she laughs. The golden sand left away into another tent. 

Elsa sighed to herself as she looked down at the box, a box full of tiny bones of her childhood memories. Has she remembered placing teeth under her freezing pillow? Or ever believed in something...something like this little fairy? She heard the little fairy chirp to her and she lifted her head to see the hummingbird tilt her head. Maybe she was waiting for her to open the box or perhaps trying to converse with her? Was this some opportunity to see her mother again in color this time? To see her one last time? Elsa wondered if her mother believed in such a being that collects teeth. It was such a strange job to do and to have. Elsa turned her gaze to the dark forest some ways away from the campsite and started to walk into the forest. She needed some peace and quiet to think if it was really necessary to open this box. She-she needed to move on.

Several minutes later after Elsa left the campsite to ponder, Jack moved under the pile of snow and pushes himself up with his hands to breath. He titled his head up with a stupid grin on his face, expecting the kids were still there. His grin lessened as looked around. No one was there and everyone was already asleep. Bummer. Jack puffed out a sigh and he flipped himself over the pile of snow, his limbs spread out as if he was ready to make a snow angel. Everything just seemed so quiet now and he never felt so energized and ready to play. He blinked as he huffed out a mist of frost towards the sky. The slightly transparent mist sparkled like crystals against the northern lights. He tapped his fingers against the snow as he hummed to himself and quietly sung a song. "Chestnuts roasting on a open fire~" he huffed out another mist cloud in the air "Jack Frost nipping at your nose~ Yuletide carols sung by a choir~ And folks dress up like Eskimos~" Jack stopped and thought to himself. "Do they really look like Eskimos?" He turned his head, expecting Baby Tooth to be near him as he asked his question "Hey do think the Northuldra look like Esk-" but the fairy was nowhere to be seen and in her place was the little salamander. "Oh. Hi Bruni" the fire spirit licked his eyeball and crawled on top of the spirit's jacket to lay himself there. Jack lifted his head to watch the salamander comfortable sizzle and patting his cloth. Jack chuckled "Nice to see you too. Say where is Baby Tooth anyway?" The winter spirit sat himself up, disrupting the salamander's action to sleep over his body, and looked around the camp. No flying fairy in sight, but trails of golden sand flew about the forest. He stared at the dreamsand going by and leaving the area to somewhere else in the forest. There could be more Sami tribes over there sleeping about.

The guardian looked about and stood himself up from the ground, Bruni falling into the snow in the process, and placed his hands in his pockets. A little sway as he looked up towards the sky. He was bored again and everyone was asleep here. Maybe he could just go to another continent to find some already awaken people. "Hmm, Doesn't look like any emergency tonight. The lights aren't in waves today. Just a pretty light show" Jack whistled to himself as he went over to a tree and get his staff back into his hands. When he took the staff, he noticed a trail of golden sand heading away from the village. The trail was separated from all the other trails that were either connected to camps or flying higher about the forest. Jack blinked in question and rested his staff against his shoulder. "If its one thing I know about dreamsand, it's always leading to a sleeping human. Eh. I'mma go check it out. Come on Bruni, want to see where this leads to?" Jack gestured for the little fire spirit to join him with a mischievous grin on his face. Bruni jumped in excitement and quickly crawled on top of his staff and on his shoulder. Both of the spirits followed the rogue dreamsand in the dark forest.

Elsa walked through the forest, the little fairy by her side and the tooth box in her hands. She still wasn't sure if she wanted to open it, or wonder if her parents ever believed in this. She recalled Anna and Kristoff talking about a mysterious fae that takes teeth away in exchange for coins, but they've never seen the fae in person. That was decades ago. They've never seen it, her nephews and nieces, grandchildren and so on never seen her in action. Elsa chuckled. "Heh. 'But its just a child's tale anyway. The fae doesn't really exist. Maybe you placed it under her pillow' 'Oh Kristoff you live with trolls, the fae could actually exist' ah. I remember that" Elsa shook her head as the fairy perched herself on the tip of the box, tilting her head with a chirp. "Oh, I was just remembering that time. When my family didn't understand the concept of coins for tiny bones" the fairy chirped again. "Well, I guess I've seen you all before. I didn't know there are so many of you. You're very cute" Elsa tapped her finger against the fairy's beak. The fairy fluffed its feathers up in response. Elsa chuckled to herself "I still wonder why you collect memories in a box. Why is it so special to you? Do you think mother or father ever believed in you?" The fairy shrugged and tilted her head. Maybe so, maybe not. "I guess not, maybe not a lot of humans believe in myths or fairy tales" she sighed as the golden box glowed lightly in the dark. A sudden stream of golden sand alarmed her from her left. The trail of sand flew by her as quickly as possible, but not leaving or shrinking away. She turned herself around to see the cord of the golden sand trail all the way back to where the tribe was. She turned back around to come face to face with the white haired man. His body upside down and hanging from a tree, his legs firmly grasping the tree branch. His blue eyes inches from hers and a smile beaming with childlike mischief. Elsa jumped back in shock.

"Aww, I thought that was for you. I wanted to see you're dream, but oh well" Jack shrugged, still hanging upside down. "M-my dream?" "Yeah. You're dream. Every night when you sleep, that dream sand would come and give you a fantastic dream" Jack pointed to the dream trail that was still flying by them. "I..I know what they do. I've seen them before" Jack crossed his arms and raised and eyebrow "Really? Have you ever touched one? Or met the creator before?" Elsa glanced to the golden trial illuminating the surrounding night and back to Jack who was looking at the golden box upside down. "I've touched one once, maybe twice before. But I haven't met the creator of those trails" Jack slowly nodded, now looking into her eyes. Why, why was he doing that? And why was this scene so...familiar? Maybe it was a memory? "Hey Elsa?" His grin lessened. "Yes Jack?" "Are you going to look inside?" "Oh. Um. I don't know actually. I just don't know if I want to see these memories or mother again. I know that its all in the past but...they died for my sake and I don't want to seem so dependent on this. It's just..." Jack watched her shake slightly. "I know that you told me this is my home. I'm just struggling with myself again. I want to hear her voice and I just want to move on from this, but I can't. I don't want to be reminded anymore.. I thought I was alone with this ice magic but turns out I wasn't..you were there" she looked up to meet Jack's gaze. His gaze seemed serious, a little far away, but something was there in his eyes. He sighed and swung himself from the tree branch to land in front of her with ease. He turned away from her, twirling his staff and tapping it to the snow. He mumbled something under his breath. "What?" "Uh.." he rubbed the back of his neck, turning himself back around to face her. "I-I mean I completely understand you Elsa. Family members are dead, you're the only one left alive. Heh, well I'm actually not alive but, I completely understand what your life is like, wandering around with no care in the world. Kind of the same as mine..." he walked up to her "You've seen my past in Ahtohallan right? I was someone else, I wasn't Jack Frost. After becoming a spirit I just...I didn't know who I was for years. I couldn't see my family grow up. I couldn't see her grow up. I desperately wanted to be human again for a stupid reason, but that won't ever happen. Sure. You can move on from your past. Maybe Manni was wrong to give me that box, I can take it back. It's a hassle anyway" Jack placed his palm out to Elsa, waiting for her to give him the tooth box. She glanced down at his palm, then at the box "You came all this way to give me this, you wanted to know more about yourself in Ahtohallan. I thought you were being a selfish idiot. I barely know you Jack and yet it feels like we should know each other. That you were me at one point in my life-" Elsa stopped talking and gave him the box. "Nevermind. You're right. It is a hassle. I have a clear memory of my own family and my mother's voice" Elsa closed her eyes and turned around to walk back to the camp. He quietly watched her leave and shrugged it off. "Alright then" Jack turned around towards the trail of dreamsand. He was planning to leave the forest.

Babytooth and Bruni watched the two spirits walk away from each other from the tree. Bruni saw the little fairy swiveled her head from one spirit to the other in shock and question. The fairy flew over to Jack, tugging his hood and pecking his clothes annoyed. "Ah hey hey quick it Baby Tooth! What?!" Jack saw her try to pick up the golden box, but Jack's grip on it was stronger. "What you want the box?" He saw her look behind him and point to Elsa, who was ways away from them now, and try to pry the box from his cold dead hands. "Baby Tooth no! She said she doesn't need to look. It's a hassle and Ahto... _Manni_ was wrong. Okay? I'm taking this back to-" suddenly the tooth box was glowing, the knocking sound returned again. He felt the wind spirit suddenly slip through his hands and take the glowing box in her possession. The spirit flew back towards Elsa with the box. "Gale? What- the box is..." she could hear the knocking, an endless knocking of a door she remembered. Anna. Anna kept knocking on her door. It was so lonely. So anxious and paranoid. Anna was lonely and she pushed her away again. Gale lifted her hands up to take hold of the glowing box. Elsa took a breath and placed her palm against the blue diamond. The box opened to reveal baby teeth as white as she left them, but she couldn't see the teeth at all. Her vision and sight changed to memories and past events. Jack jumped up and flew over to her, Gale dancing away with the dreamsand, to see her standing there and her eyes wide while looking into the box. Jack huffed. "Is this your plan Manni?" Jack looked up at the moon still in the night sky. "It's not like that's going to do anything. She knows who she is already. True I don't know her, I've seen her past and what it's like. She's seen mine. That's fair at least. It's just..." Jack lowered his head to see her still captured by the magic. "Why do you want me to meet her? So I wouldn't be so alone. Is that your gift to me? Make her remember using the tooth boxes" He looked up to the sky for answers from the moon, but alas the moon didn't respond. It was silent between the spirits before Jack spoke again.

"...Hey North Wind? Is that really your name?"

_I have many names. Jack. Elsa calls me Gale_

"Gale. Do you know about Manni? Man in the moon?"

_Ahto talks about him like strange friend. Yes. Deity who rides moon chariot. Why?_

Jack leaned against another tree as he felt the wind spirit flow and swirl around him and the fairy. "Does he really do that? I've never seen him face to face..." he looked up to the moon and the lights.

_He does. He drags around in celestial realm._

"Were you made or just existed here? Like what the Sami would think?"

_Created by Ahto like all other spirits. Elsa is one of them_

"You asked me to help her before, that she was in danger. Did Ahto send you to me? Or was it Elsa?"

_Ahto. Elsa's magic is apart of Ahtohallan. Granted as a gift from him. I sensed it's destruction before she arrived and we were all devastated_

Jack crossed his arms over his chest as Gale played with his hair, sweeping and swaying as Baby Tooth hovered about them both. Bruni was sitting on her shoulder, looking at the teeth and tilting his head before looking back up to the blonde spirit. Elsa was still staring into the box as the guardian and Gale kept talking to each other. "So what made her run away from the soldiers? What hurt her?" Before Gale could answer, the dreamsand that stayed had shortened and lessened in the night. Maybe the human was awake? Jack pushed himself from the tree and walked over to see the dream sand had curved and faded into the darkness. Suddenly Jack heard a scream, faint but it was there. Another gun shot and a crying out. Jack was soon face to face with the yellow eyes of the poor soldier. Holding out his rifle as he ran as fast as he could towards Elsa. Saying and screaming "Witch! Witch! Kill the Witch! AHHH!" as he ran closer to her. Jack widened his eyes. How in the hell was one still alive? Did he really not scout the entire forest beforehand? The spirit took his staff in hand and saw the man click his rifle as he stopped feet away from the guardian. He was going to shoot her? Or him? Could he see him still or was he just a ghost? The tip of the rifle reached inches away from his chest, but it was clearly aiming towards the back of her head. No, he couldn't see him. The man kept his mouth wide open as if he was still screaming, but nothing else came out. The guardian remembered it, the same scenario. A rifle pointed to his chest, but not right at him, it was aiming at them. The children, the natives. A massacre he didn't see but felt it was wrong. Who. Who was the real enemy?

Before the gun could fire, Jack quickly placed his hand around the middle of the gun. Instantly the metal froze and frosted by the contact, constricted by the temperature of his hand, and broke in half before the bullet would even shoot. The soldier, still oblivious of what just happened, continued to scream as Jack took his gun away from his hands. The soldier, feeling the emptiness in his hands, took out a blade and ran forward. The spirit grasped his arm as fast as he took out the knife, elbowed him and let him slip on the ice below. Jack quickly took his weaponized arm and held it behind the soldier's back. He pinned him to the ground with no where to go as his limbs had been frozen solid against the ground with ice and rime. Jack twirled his staff to the base as an icy spear tip formed over the poor soldier's bare neck. He wasn't angry or frustrated with the soldier but pitied him. He could see the old hairs and the wrinkles around those old soulless yellow eyes. He kept screaming while pinned to the icy ground. "I..I don't want to hurt you, what's making you like this? What's scaring you? It can't be Elsa. I know it can't" the old soldier's scream finally stopped, his eyes closed as his mouth was shut. There was silence between them before he heard a low chuckle. Jack thought it was Elsa or even Gale playing, but it was the old man. The guardian watched, his spear against skin, to see the old man chuckling and finally speaking, but not as a tired old man. It was a voice of nightmares, the same from the Dark Sea.

"Oh Jackson, since when did you care about humans? You never minded it. To let them die in your own creations" the old man's eyes opened to reveal, instead of white and yellow, it was black and white. A demon? The guardian wasn't scared but he could feel the fear radiating from him. "Who are you?" "Me? I am fear. Come to life. Hehehe" it chuckled again. "No. No you can't be..." Jack shook his head and let the spear close in on the old man. "We defeated you. We saw the nightmares take you away years ago" the demon chuckled some more. "Your funny Jackson. Really funny. I am not the same as him. You see. I am different fear. Fear come to life in your eyes. Soon. You will see-hehehe" the frost and ice grew around the limbs and face of the old man. Curls of permafrost crept about the skin of the old soldier, slowing freezing him to death. Jack tightened his grip to both his staff and the arm. "What-what will I see? Tell me!" The demon continued to chuckle. "Hehehe. Witchcraft. Frost moon.. Whom shall you fear? All of you. Rise to Ragnarok" The demon then howled like a wolf towards the blonde before Jack raised his staff, the ice spear growing larger, before stabbing the old man. Everything was quiet as the spirit stood up from the ice, blood spilled to the ground as Jack dropped his staff. He looked down to the dead and permafrost soldier before him. May he finally rest in peace. He slowly took a breath and left the corpse to walk towards Elsa, who returned from looking into the box. She blinked and looked around. "Huh? Jack where-" she turned around to suddenly be embraced by the man himself. There was neither a heartbeat nor any warmth in his embrace. Elsa blinked in surprised confusion at his sudden action. "Are...Are you okay?" He was silent for a minute before he forcefully pulled himself away. "Sorry! I was- I was thinking about something stupid. You know what?" Jack placed a hand on her shoulder. "You need to sleep! I need some sleep. We both need sleep. You good with the box now?" Elsa nodded slowly, making sense of his words. "Yes. You can take it back...where did you get this anyway?" "Oh. From the Tooth fairy, I'll give it back to her" "Say what's that behi-" Elsa peaked past his shoulder but he quickly turned her around towards the camp. "You must be really tired. You should go and be with your family! Sleep with them or something. Off you go then" he gently pushed her towards the campsite. Suddenly Gale took over in pushing the ice spirit. "H-hey Gale! Okay I'm going. You don't need to shove. I can walk back!"

As Jack watched her go back to camp with the other two spirits, He placed the golden box in his zipped pocket and turned back to take his staff. Looking down at the dead old man with guilt, he moved his hand and buried him deep under the snow before flying off towards Tooth's Palace.

* * *

[Amazon Basin, Brazil]

[January 4, 2028]

Silence. That was all she needed in this noisy and dense land of green and brown. Trees growing on trees, leaves swaying the wind, mists and fog swaying across the tip like waves of an ocean. Crickets and poisonous frogs chirping and groaning had interrupted the deity's train of thought. Emily Jane, many known as mother nature, floated in a pond of black water, surrounded by the thickness of the vegetation. To say this pond stood out from all the greenery is an understatement. The blackness of the rivers that swirl around countless of ancient trees and mossy structures of old would be completely covered and hidden away by the jungle's sense of privacy and mystery. This jungle was a perfect fit for a home, regardless of the many animals and creatures that come by casually without harm. A moist yet beautifully green forest that creates its own fog in respect of secrecy. Emily Jane loved to walk by and around this jungle. Finding so many secrets and more ancient faces and gruesome stories of an ancient past. It excited her, to learn and to explore this world's past. Though now didn't seem to be the time or day to explore. Hair as black as the river she floated on stretched itself and blended into the pond and blacken rivers of the forest. Her hands laced together against her navel as her eyes were closed in contemplation and relaxation. The guardians had left her in the library of North's Palace. Sanderson cast her to sleep to wake up and find out they left her to find Jack. Now that didn't seem necessary to search for him. Emily sighed as the image of the blonde women carrying him in her arms, her face wet with tears and seeing the winter spirit out cold and covered in ice made her open her eyes. She stared up at the dense canopy of the leaves and branches. Little sunlight pierced through the shade and Emily thought to herself again. Some of her anger disintegrated when she noticed them both so weak and scared. To say she was right about Ahto using Jack for a reason that scarred the poor girl to run was noticeable. She blinked twice, feeling herself connected as the many strands of her hand twirled and twined with the roots and trees of the jungle.

The chirping and the croaking continued, her eyes closed to concentrate yet she could not. Her eyebrow twitched at the annoyance of sound. The animals grew louder as she listened closer and closer to the creatures. Gritting her teeth, she opened her mouth finally "Enough!" and instantly the noises and sounds of the creatures went silent. Ah. Peace and quiet. Now. What did Ahto want with him? What did he want with her? For all she knew the temple was frozen solid and became apart of the river. It didn't really matter to her in anyway. She's seen many ancient temples and architectures, humans and creatures alike had died and turned to stone, became one with the earth and formed into mountains. This generation of humans were blinded and confused by what is truth and what are obvious tools of lies. Seeing the earth- her earth -in ways that death is the transition to another life gave her perspective that gods and giants really die on this realm. Physical flesh and blood turned back to dust.

Emily focused on the encounter in Greenland, her memory sharp on the blonde girl, wiping her tears away. She could tell, she knew who she was the second she saw her dress. There was a mutual silence between them, but Emily knew that this girl was lesser than herself. There was power, there was elemental magic, but not as strong as once before. Not as natural as herself nor the man she held. There they recalled stories of her known as the Snow Queen, or any other type of mythical winter related persona. The girl, Elsa, was gifted by Ahto himself to deal with human conflicts. She herself has watched in curiosity on what Elsa could do. She watched and she waited and she left out of boredom. No one knew of her existence then, but the spirits had bowed to her once in respect and honor. Even if Ahto gave her this gift to please and protect one forest, Emily questioned the root of the matter: Why does it matter to you so much? That one forest is nothing compared to the vast others that ooze magic and otherworldly wonder. Maybe he actually cares for the people around him? Emily shrugged to herself and continued on her thoughts.

When she had seen Jack in that state, true she was furious, but also pitted him of his condition. She had two suggestions for them. One was staying in Greenland, and one was going back to the workshop. Yet Elsa insisted of going back to the country. Emily had questioned why she was crying, but Elsa switched the conversation. They stayed in Greenland for two days before she helped them both go back to the country. She could tell that Elsa cared for him, she could tell that Elsa was alone in her own little world, and she could tell that the blonde spirit desired someone who was just like her. Even when it didn't matter to Emily at all about the spirits of Norway, she was more curious about how long they knew each other and how she grieved about the Wars, deaths and fear of her own magic fading away. Emily knew, from the silence between them, that Elsa was dependent on her source of magic, on the glacier. It was her home, her comfort and familiarity. All gone and crumbled away in a span of a week. Maybe, maybe Elsa knew it was going to happen, but it didn't surprise the deity one bit. She could recall the countless times she'd seen her go on adventures but not really meeting her face to face. It never felt the right moment to speak to her or introduce herself in the flesh, but now that timing felt enough, not right but enough.

Emily opened her eyes and sighed again, her twining strands of hair untangled from the forest to come back to her form. She fixed herself to stand up, the black water falling and dripping from her hair and clothing. She began walking out of the pond and onto the jungle grass, her long black locks swaying and fluffed like clouds at night. The voices of the creatures and the animals reappeared to fill in the emptiness she commanded as she walked. "You know, Ahto, you may be gone from this realm, but your own creation isn't. You took her away and gave her back to me. I'm curious to see what you can do with her now" Emily picked a fruit from a random tree and took a bite from it. "Time to visit her old creations" She threw the fruit away towards the ground and let herself crack and sink into the jungle ground.

It had been more or less 5 minutes to swiftly appear in the snow-cap mountains of the Scandinavian country. Emily reformed herself from the mist and snow around to fully complete herself in the flesh. She brushed herself off the crispy frost on her dress. "Ah. Not as fast as Aster, but it'll do" Emily turned around her to see the ice palace, all intact and decorated then years before. She was both surprised and questioned. "The stairs are all fixed? Huh, and so is the balcony! I don't remember doing any of this" as she mumbled the last words, she saw the shine of the quarter moon appear from the clouds, little ways transparent from the time of day. Emily looked up to see the moon peak out to her. "Oh! Manni. Let me guess, Jack Frost?" She smirked up to the moon as the light blinked in response. "Of course it is. I wondered if it was Elsa but, she kind of abandoned the place for years. Not anything new" Emily shrugged as she wistfully floated up the steps and landed in front of the tall castle door. She politely tapped the ice door as if the wind was knocking.

Two minutes later, the ice door opened itself to reveal a snowman of 3 feet with a carrot nose, a crown upon its head and very humanistic eyes. "A visitor? Wait..." the snowman squinted it's eyes and opened the door wider. He trailed his eyes up to see a tall women, a green dress and black long locks. She smiled down at him and waved. "Hi there. You must be Olaf?" The snowman tilted his head in question and tapped his chin. "I...think I've seen you before...it's on the tip of my tongue" Emily was going to say her name, but Olaf continued. "Starts with an S? Saph- no. Sar-no. Sareph- no. Wait wait wait! *gasp* Samantha!" Olaf grinned with a squeal as Emily blinked twice in confusion. "Uh-" "I knew it I knew it! I knew I could find Samantha! See guys? I finally found her! She was right here all along!" Olaf clapped and turned around to face the other mini snowmen that were chilling in the ice fountain. Emily peaked inside the ice castle to see it was gorgeously renewed and decorated with as many frost, snowflakes and ice sculptures as possible. Oh yeah it was definitely Jack. Emily watched the snowman turn back around to continue. "But I have..seen you before. A long time ago?" Emily did want to say her name wasn't that, but she nodded to seeing him before. "I- yes. We have met before. In uh...1800s?" She rubbed the back of her neck, maybe he didn't remember the exact date. Olaf nodded in thought. "Oh! In the enchanted forest!" "Yes" "Where-" Emily could see in the snowman's eyes that he was reminiscing his past. His cheerful demeanor changed. His arms hung to the side. "-I lost track of Elsa and Anna. I met Gale and I guess I died. Now they're gone and you're here?" Emily followed the snowman inside the ice castle. Once she walked inside, she could instantly feel the power that was once dim now more full of elemental magic. Ancient. Elemental magic. The last time she has seen the castle was in 1890-1910s, but she never went inside since she thought it was truly empty. It wasn't that old and still shined, now it was fuller of even older magic. Emily sighed as she looked around the now decorated castle.

"...Ahtohallan..." she whispered as Olaf stopped from talking about whatever he was talking about to turn around. He was already upon the stairs."What?" "Olaf. Elsa created you?" "Yeah why?" "Out of magic?" "Well, she made me and placed all of us here" Olaf gestured to the whole of the snowgies and the snow golem that's sitting with them. "Just snow and magic" Emily took a few more steps upwards "But you're apart of her then? Did you ever get sick?" Olaf shook his head. "Not the slightest. I guess when she died, we all melted away. Then when she lived she revived me and everyone else. I just don't get why she left us here and not at the forest" Emily continued to follow him up the stairs, seeing even more frost and ice decor with chains of snowflakes. When they reached the second floor, it was furnished and decorated with thrones and statues and plants. Emily whistled at the sight. "Jack really out did himself" "Oh, Jack? Haha. He did all of this for us! Wait you know him?" Olaf questioned "Of course I do, he's...more or less like a little brother but also a friend" the snowman nodded and sat on the small throne that was next to the bigger one. "Its amazing! I had no idea he's the same as Elsa!" Emily nodded and tilted her head to the side with a shrug. "In a way he kinda is, in a way he kinda isn't" Olaf, who was kicking his feet out of boredom, turned his head to her curiously. "How so?" "Well, his magic isn't entirely the same as hers. For one thing Elsa's magic was gifted to her at birth by a glacier. Jack's was gifted by the moon" "Wow. Really? How do you know this?" "I watch and listen sometimes" Emily decided to sit down next to the snowman on the bigger throne. "Question" "Yes Olaf?" "Why are you here?" "Ah. I wanted to see one of Elsa's creations for myself and she made you quite uniquely adorable" "Aw stop it~ you're making me blush!" Olaf giggled as Emily smirked. "Another question!" "What is it?" "Why were talking about Ahtohallan?" "Oh... Well I felt the magic through here when I entered and it felt ancient, not as ancient as the Aztecs or the Pyramids but there was this...force of nature that was familiar to me. That Elsa's magic isn't that natural to this realm. She's gotten dependent on it and eventually, it fell" "What fell?" "Ahtohallan. It's gone. Crumbled apart. A temple of a deity that held every ancient memory, gone out the window" Olaf became quiet and tapped his twig fingers together. He was thinking while Emily watched with amusement. "Hmm. Wait so does that mean" Olaf smiled brightly "Does that mean she's coming back here? Now that Ahtohallan's destroyed?" She shrugged and relaxed herself in the ice throne. "Maybe so. I can tell you why she didn't want to take you with her. You're family to her. She created you and she wanted you to be safe from the fears and wars of the world. You're like a memory to her that needed to be preserved in ice" "But I don't understand it Samantha. Why wouldn't she leave us in the glacier?" Emily shrugged. "I don't know. Humans can be...quite confused about what they want and what they need. Deceiving themselves in drama with their midlife crisis'. Quite entertaining to watch" Emily laid back in the throne and took a pile a snow in her hand. The snow melted in palm. She blew a cold wind towards it and the water froze over her hand. She flicked the ice off easily. Olaf had watched her do her little trick with wonder. "Wow. You can thaw and freeze snow that quickly?" Emily nodded, making herself comfortable. She didn't really feel like leaving the sentient snowmen alone for the second time.

The two of them were silent for a few more minutes before Olaf spoke. "So are you the same as Elsa and Jack?" "In a way. I control the weather and the earth's forces. The spirits in the forests bow to me in respect" "Wow. You must be a really powerful spirit" "Hah. I'm more or less a deity in their eyes" "Wow. A deity....what's a deity?" Olaf kicked his legs again like a child as the snowgies gathered around them both. It seemed like she wasn't going to go anywhere. Emily smiled as she looked up at the hanging snowflakes and pillars. 

"You know what? I'm going to tell you all a story. A story about a god and a knight"


	21. A Father's Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Angel of Love tells Jack what happened in the 2 weeks he was out.  
> Elsa encounters a fisherman in her dream  
> 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tiny bits of lore here and there. Sorry that it takes time. :)

Jack flew southeast from the European continent towards the country of India where Toothiana's palace resided and hidden carefully inside staggering mountaintops. As he was flying past Afghanistan, which held more snow then necessary by his unusual emotional breakdown- he didn't know whether to feel guilty or not- he kept thinking of what happened in Norway. It was a quiet flight from Norway to India when he suddenly smacked his head with his hand, scarring the little fairy that flew with him. "Stupid stupid stupid. I'm such an idiot! Was I going too fast? Was that really necessary? Did she know she would be hunted? Or it would go past through her body completely? Okay so she's immortal and lost everything already, and maybe she also lost her own human body in Ahtohallan. But still you saw how I reacted Baby Tooth! She's a spirit and bullets don't go through spirits. Personally I've known what that's like. It's not she's going to die or already dead by that point. Probably left her fleshy body for another one? I mean that's what a shaman does. Spirit goes out of the body and enters another vessel and all that stuff. Okay I didn't mean to embrace her so tight like that like she was actually going to die but I didn't feel any warmth in her at all. She's so cold blooded but so nice...and her hair is so cold but so soft-" Baby Tooth crossed her arms and rolled her eyes at the way Jack was looking out into space as he rambled to himself for what seemed more than enough times in his existence. The little fairy poked the side of his neck with her beak in annoyance. "OW! AH Okay okay. I'm going!" Jack continued towards the palace in a faster pace. "...You think she wears nothing under that dress- OW!"

* * *

[Tooth's Palace]

[January 13, 2028}

When Jack finally arrived at the hanging palace decorated like giant lotuses you would think some of the fairies would greet him and Toothiana herself would still be busy or at least greet him. Well to his surprise the fairy queen herself was perched in her little cage and not flying about or counting teeth like she would around the clock. Toothiana didn't really do anything but perch herself in her cage. She didn't take any notice of the winter guardian when he was repeatedly being pricked and poked by the little fairy. "OW ow ow ow! Stop it! I'm a male of course I think about those things. It's not like I actually want- OW! Be intimate with her! She probably doesn't want anything to do with me! Well anything sexual-OW Ah quit it! I swear Baby Tooth. Why are so against this? I mean we both can't reproduce children- Ak!" Jack kept swiping the little fairy away from him as the other curious fairies flew over to him and squealed. 'Oh Mani there are so many of you. I-I need to find Toothiana. Is she in her cage or wherever?" The little fairies looked to each other with a quiet concern. Jack scanned their expressions and lowered his hand. "What? What's wrong?" The little fairies chirped and lifted the guardian from the ground. He blinked from their action. "Uh. What are you guys doing? I can fly you know" the little fairies continued to lift him up and towards where Toothiana was placed. They gently landed him on the pink and golden platform. The fairies released him and flew over to Toothiana, who's wings were down and her posture week. Weak as if the children's belief in her was waning. Her head lowered to the ground but she was still able to perch herself on a golden rod. The little fairies chirped around her and nudged her, picking her fairy wings and tail up to let them go in a limp. They chirped in worry for their queen even though they were fine and able to do the job as usual. Jack slowly walked towards her, questioned. "Tooth? Is she awake?" The fairies shook their head with worry. Jack continued to walk into her cage and look up from where she perched. His first thought that she was sleeping peacefully, but a closer inspection insisted that her eyes were indeed open. Not wide but enough to see her magenta colored starry eyes. Jack leaped up to touch her cheek. He lightly tapped her cheek with a little cold shock. Hoping that she would wake up or at least respond to his touch. He tapped her other cheek with a little more ice cold, still nothing. "Tooth. Tooth are you awake? Can you hear me? Hey" he spoke a little louder to her, cupping her cheeks with coldness. "I know you don't like the cold. You and Bunny both don't like it, but it's a good way to wake you up" Jack smiled as he waited for a response. His smile lessened and he firmly placed his hands on her shoulders, shaking her lightly. No response.

The fairies watched Jack trying to wake their queen up but nothing seemed to. "Toothiana!" He suddenly shouted before her. "Please wake up! The fairies need you!" He kept shaking her until she fell from her position and landed on the ground like a limp rag doll. The fairies watched her fall and angrily glared at Jack, who rubbed his already injured neck. "Uh...sorry. Okay she's not responding but at least its not worse. Her eyes are clearly opened. Anyone knows what happened to her?" Jack carefully picked her up in his arms to move her out of her cage and unto the platform, surprised at how small she was. The fairies carried his wooden staff as he walked out. He looked closer at her half opened eyes. They were still the same pinkish color and glittering like dreamy stars. Yet there was this hint of gray and yellow in her eyes. A tint of yellow? Why is there patches of yellow in her eyes? No. No it's just the reflection of gold from her palace. Stay calm Jack. Just stay calm. The guardian gripped her feathered body closer to himself. She wasn't shivering from his cold temperature and her fairy wings weren't cutting him or anything. They weren't that big or delicate to break, but they seemed immovable. He took a deep breathe as the fairies hovered around him. "How are you guys fine and she's not? You fairies are apart of her aren't you? So how can you fly while she can't? I don't get it" he looked out towards the columns and cages of memory boxes and fairies fluttering about. They were still doing their usual business while their queen was limp and probably out cold. At least the children could still believe in her, yet who was navigating the fairies to go around the world? Jack flew around the palace, placing Toothiana against a wall, for something that would wake her up. The mini fairies still doing their jobs, getting coins from machines and placing baby teeth inside boxes. Flying through the columns and cages of boxes, he saw from the corner of his eye a glowing shine from below him. Jack stopped when he heard his own voice in his mind.

_You're gonna be fine..._

Jack’s head snapped to the sound of those familiar words to see the glowing box below. He flew to the golden box that was sticking out from the wall and stopped in front of it to see his little sister’s face. There was a name implanted above the box in gold. He placed his hand over the plated name, reading her name out loud. “Ana Ardelean Overland. That’s her name? Huh...” he closed his eyes as the box glowed again. “I’m sorry... I’m sorry for not being there. If I was human again, would I die with you and see where we go from there? Like mom and dad? Would we go to the land of the dead? Or reincarnate as someone else?” the guardian sighed as he placed his forehead against the wall, looking at the picture of his sister. He grunted and removed himself from the box and wall, shaking his head. ‘No. The past is in the past, just move on Jack. You’re an immortal spirit, she’s not. None of them are.’ The guardian turned around from the golden box and back towards Toothiana. When he came back to her, she was still limp and settled on the floor. Taking out Elsa’s tooth box, he gestured it towards the fairies still by her side. “Hey, can anyone you put this back where it belongs?” He handed out the tooth box towards them and two carried the tooth box away from his hand towards the other buildings and columns of boxes. Jack took his staff and twirled it around as he sat next to the fairy queen who was still limp, but still alive and able to breathe. “Should I tell North or Sandy about this? Maybe they already know what happened to her and just didn’t bother to tell me. I mean, I haven’t seen Sandman around, but I’ve seen his dream sand. So he’s somewhere. North could know what happened, but the lights aren’t expanding to here...” Jack could see the sun rise from the east. It was still nice to look at. When he was just admiring the view of the sun, he noticed a glimpse of red wings flapping towards them.

Jack stood up from his spot to see to the fiery hair and red as blood wings of no other than Cupid himself. “Eros? What is he doing here?” The guardian flew up and over towards the angel. Cupid looked either pissed or relieved upon seeing him. When they finally met face to face, the angel put back his bow and arrow. He stood tall before the guardian. “Jack Frost, its just you. I thought you were one of them. I was about to shoot you into flames. Lo Siento” the angel smiled. “Oh. Uh, it’s okay... What do you mean one of them? Eros what’s going on?” The fiery angel took a breath as the sun continued to rise behind him. “Fearlings showed themselves 2 weeks ago. A powerful spiritual creature started targeting men and children with their greatest fears coming to life. Toothiana had been targeted 2 weeks ago”. He gestured to the fairy laying limp by her cage. Jack turned around to see the fairy. “You mean this creature attacks spirits too?” “Yes. But I’m sure it was a fearling that took hold of her”.

The guardian turned back around to face the angel. “A fearling... Pitch is back? You’ve seen Pitch?” “No. No sight of the man. Usually in this day and age he would be with politicians for fear-mongering. Plagues, death and phobias of loosing everything material wise… Sandman asked me if I’ve seen you anywhere, obviously I haven’t. So where were you?” Jack glanced around and tapped his finger to his staff. “I. Was in a coma? In an enchanted forest?” Eros only nodded in understanding and didn’t question him anymore. Yet Jack still had much on his mind. “Did. Did the fearlings attack the others?” “Yes,” Jack’s stomach dropped. “Hastily, they became sneakier after a powerful spirit set itself free from the depths of Oceanus. I felt it in the air that something went wrong. The fearlings and demons that attacked kept echoing and swarming the sleigh. Saying ‘Rise to Ragnarok. Fear be your Enemy’ and I took out half of them as best as I could without being caught.”

Jack shook, his fingers rolled into a fist, and gritted his teeth, letting his white locks veil his eyes full of rage. Eros stood quiet, his red bird wings kept him in the air. The angel could sense his hatred and loathsome towards himself. "...Jack. This isn't your fault" the guardian lifted his head up to meet the angel's golden starry eyes. "Oh really?! Leaving them behind, making them worry about me and get caught by demons?! Then tell me who's at fault here. Was it you?!" He gripped his staff, which grew out glowing spirals of ice. "Hey don't accuse me. I'm just the messenger. They came out of the clouds unexpectedly, I intervened when I was doing my usual job" "Why did you help then? You're not a guardian. You weren't chosen by the moon". Eros blinked as the sun rose higher in the sky, feeling the warmth of the sun on his back. "No. I'm not. But we're amigos aren't we. From the same celestial heavens" Jack continued to shake and Eros placed a gloved hand over the spirit's cold shoulder. "I can see that you care so much about them. They've fought and killed plenty of demons before I know that. It's easy for Sol to destroy them, but I'm amazed how Mani can fight off the demons with his own light" "I...I still think is my fault. The-the creature? Free from its icy depths? It was in Svalbard. Ahtohallan- Ahto was restraining that... _thing_ for centuries and I destroyed it and set it free" Eros shook his head with a reassuring smile. It was so...warm like the sun. So kind.

"It was never your fault. Jack...you're still worried" "I am. Before coming here. There was a solider that was possessed by another demon saying the same thing. 'Rise to Ragnorok, I let them see their fear come to life'. He said I would see my fears come to life. He howled at Elsa and-" Eros' eyes lit up. "Elsa? Who's she?" Jack shut his mouth and quickly turned around to fly away towards the platform. "Just some women" Eros then cracked a mischievous smile and followed him towards the platform. "'Just some women'? I know that girls flock to you probably in another book of sorts, but you can't hide your passion away from me Frost" Jack lifted his hood over his head and played with his string. "Shut up. She's just a women that lives in a glacier for a lifetime" "Want to tell me what she's like~?" Eros swiftly appeared before the guardian with a wide Cheshire grin. "I see what you're doing Eros, don't" Jack walked past him and towards Toothiana. "Ah. I would like to know her since I'm quite interested to knock her up for myself" Eros' Cheshire grin didn't fade. On cue, Jack stopped in his tracks and not a second later, he twirled his staff and an ice spear was an inch away from the angel's neck. The grin never fading as he lifted his palms up from the ice spear. "Quick reflex" Jack looked up, glaring at the yellow-orange locks and tanned angel. His blue eyes glowed white in the pattern of a snowflake and faded away in a flash. There was this warning in his eyes as if to say 'Don't you dare touch her' that Eros knows all too well.

They stared at each other for a solid three seconds before Jack twirled his staff away, the dagger thawing from Eros' hot body temperature, and turned away from the angel. "...Shit" "You really fell for that one amigo!" Eros laughed in delight as Jack was blushing a deep purple despite being a spirit. "I-I *sigh* I'm just protective okay!?" "Of what's yours?" "She isn't mine! She was never mine to begin with! I-its just-" Jack pulled his hood down further to hide his face as he grunted. Eros still amused and laughing from his reaction. "If you dare shoot me with a fire arrow I will freeze that flame" He turned and pointed directly at the angel's face, who couldn't stop giggling. "Ai yai yai, Jack you're so cold hearted, such rejection. What if I already did? When she laughed or cried or her hair swayed in the wind and against the setting sun. Swoon~ hehehe" Eros dramatically placed his hands over his chest as he laughed. He couldn't help having fun near the guardian of fun, it seemed contagious. "There was no sunlight when I saw her. Just ice, snow and near a campfire" "Fire light? Oh Now we're talking" Jack knelt in front of Toothiana and placed a hand against her forehead while Eros kept talking about romance and crushes and hitting targets with a burning passion.

The winter spirit carefully opened Toothiana's eyes to see that they were still pink but a haze of yellow grew around the iris. "This is a fearling's doing?" He asked no one, seeing her eyes change color slowly and her feathers falling. Even some of her color were turning lifeless. Why were her feathers turning white? Jack turned his head back to the angel who stopped with his love shenanigans to look out at the morning sun. His red wings folded like a Fischer and his reddish-pink poncho tied together by a belt, floating against the wind. His bow behind his back as he watched. They both were silent as the sun continued to rise and fairies continued to do their work despite what was happening to their queen. Jack stood up and walked over to the angel. "Hey Eros?" Said angel looked behind him to see Jack walk up to him. "Yes?" "Why aren't you afraid? I mean you don't seem afraid of all of this. Fearlings coming out and creating real life nightmares in human and spirit eyes alike. Talking about this 'Ragnorok' or something" Eros placed his hands on his hips as he turned back towards the blue sky.

"In Truth, I am scared... I'm afraid of what's going to happen to the light of the luminaries and the light of humanity as a whole. But, why should I fear and be afraid when in point it's useless and used in the wrong context? Fear is a warning and a caution of what's to come towards disobeying humans. Plagues and death were the results of being so negative and shunning away what would be our life savor. Of course I'm scared of what would happen. Fear of the unknown and loosing everything material wise is why they try their best to survive. We need fear in a way, but too much of it can result in what Toothiana has gone through. Paralyzed in a position of fear and suffering. I want to help the moon guardians and the humans as a whole, but in these last days they seem to forget how beautiful life and death can be together. They refuse to listen like spoiled children. Prideful and this is the result of that pride? To see their fear come to life in their minds and suffer until they finally beg for mercy? Will they leave the minds of man and child alike until the day of Ragnarok finally comes? I don't know, but I have a hope that a new earth and a new light will override this realm. Maybe better than the last. So my question is: Jack what is your greatest fear? What had Pitch told you before?"

Eros turned his attention to the winter guardian, who stood next to the angel and looked out at the sky. "He told me that I was afraid of what the guardians would think of me, that I did everything wrong and they would cast me aside. Never trust me and say I abandoned them...and? I still think he's right. I did abandon them, I didn't show up, I kept following that stupid snowflake around the world. Blinded by my sister's voice and made them worry all for nothing. I don't know if this was ever suppose to happen, or if it was planned. I just-" Jack took down his hood and messed up his hair. "-wished things went differently in my life. Rewind the time 300 years back and see what I would be like...but Ahto gave me this advise that a spiritual life is so much better than a material one. Eternal life like you said but I wished I knew what Ahto wanted from me. What he wanted from the both of us"

The two spirits stood in silence as the sun continued to shine and clouds continued to move. Eros finally turned around, walking over to the fairy spirit, picked her up in his arms. Seeing the feathers on her body gradually turning white as her eyes were half opened, her posture still curled like a ball yet her hands not covering her ears as before. Eros walked back towards the sunlight next to Jack and let the warm sun-rays reach her body, making sure she would get a sense of warmth mixed with his body temperature. Jack stared at the white feathers. "What do think she's afraid of? Besides loosing believers and becoming weak?" The angel shrugged "When the sleigh fell from the sky and towards the ground, the fearlings were swarming around them because they sensed their light. The guardians fought and struggled in the swarm on fearlings. When I happened to arrive, I saw figures full of shadows in the silhouette of hounds that took the three guardians over. Sandman was the one that didn't get corrupted by them despite him being surrounded. I joined the battle without getting myself captive in fear. Sandman fled to help the others. I saw the Toothiana covering her ears and begged for peace and quite. Bunnymund was whimpering and Nicholas kept attacking trees. I helped in taking Toothiana back to her palace and Sandman carried the sleigh back to the North Pole. The reindeer were caught in the swarm of demons and laid there paralyzed"

"At least Sandy's alright...did you know where the swarm was? Or the reindeer in a pacific country?" "I believe close to Eastern Canada or the USA capital. Somewhere in between" Jack widened his eyes "They were looking for me over there?" "They seemed worried about you, well Nicholas did, he probably had a gut feeling that you were in trouble or blacked out somewhere close to your home. It seemed like they were going towards Antarctica of all places" Eros lifted himself up off the platform, his wings flapping about as he turned to face the spirit. "I'm going to find a quieter place for her to sooth her fears, maybe the sound of the earth or a nest would do. I'm sure the fairies wouldn't mind her absence. Oh and before I go" Eros hovered eye to eye with the guardian and pressed his index and middle finger against the spirit's bare neck. Jack yelped and squirmed from the intense burn that Eros gave him. There was no mark, but he felt the flares of the sun having contact with his ice cold skin, resulting in immense pain. "Ah! ah, _Wow_ that hurt! What was that for?!" Jack placed his hand over his neck as he watched the angel fly away and out of the peaked mountain. "For the 5 inch hail you dumped on in Mexico!" Jack groaned and rubbed his poor neck as he watched him fly out of his range of sight. "I swear that wasn't me. Why would I dump hail? It's just snow and frost for me" He mumbled as he lifted himself up from the platform. "Hey Wind!" A sudden gust of wind appeared from the openings of the mountaintop. It didn't talk nor moved around like the other spirit did. This was a wind he knew of. At least it wasn't Gale that followed him here. "Take me home!" He lifted his arms up and let the current move him away from the Tooth palace. He headed up above the clouds and towards Pennsylvania.

* * *

[Enchanted Forest, Norway] 

Gale kept pushing Elsa back towards the campsite while the dark sky slowly brightened up saying that morning was approaching. "Okay okay Gale. You don't need to push me anymore! It's already dusk" The wind spirit suddenly stopped pushing her as they arrived at the camp and Elsa huffed as she brushed back her blonde locks. "Seriously... why the rush? It's not like I'm going anywhere else. The Northuldra still need me here I guess" she walked past the tepee tents, planning to sleep against the base of a tree. She would have asked to sleep in their tents but that seemed rude to intervene sleeping children. Yet one had offered a bed to Jack since they saw his condition and she was mess at the time. Maybe she would take his spot now that he's left? Well it's more worth it then sleeping on ice or rocks. She got up from the snowy ground and the tree she was going to sleep against and walked into the empty wooden tent. When she walked into the wooden tent, she looked around to see that, of course, it was empty with bits of decoration and reindeer skin here and there. Elsa continued to walk inside the tent and gingerly sat on the bed. It was cold and empty. She sighed at the thought of the white hair man and the tall women she met. They frankly knew each other and she looked furious before seeing what happened to him.

Elsa herself didn't know what happened to Jack. Yet she herself didn't know what else she missed during those 84 years of isolation. There were so many things she wanted to know about Jack and what happened to her, but he left as soon as he recovered. Elsa, who was looking up at the ceiling of the tent, tilted her head back down to see her palm. A little bit of magic, that was all she needed from the glacier. She was completely separate from the river wasn't she? Her own ice powers were apart of Ahtohallan, her source of magic, but now it's nothing but collapsed icebergs. She and Ahtohallan were connected, maybe so connected that she was created by it? Like all the other spirits? She sighed again and slowly laid herself on the cold bed, looking directly at the wooden door. She would think that, there was a possibility Ahtohallan saved her from being trapped and taken away by the currents, eaten by the sea serpent. Maybe this was it's last hint for her, to follow this man and to trust him. Her vision became blurry and blinked as a tear fell from her eye, her hand clutching the pillow under her head. "Why release me so late? When you could have showed me he was the one I needed to find? Why sacrifice yourself like that just to make me live another long life?" She sniffed as more tears fell from her eyes to the pillow. "Why did you take my magic away? I've been doing fine with your gift. I've been doing my job, there wasn't a stupid need for you to-" Elsa interrupted herself as she cried once again before the day began to brighten. When she had calmed herself down, wiping away her tears, she saw a glimpse of flashing blue light from under the pillow. 

The winter spirit uncovered her hand from the pillow to see if her hand was glowing, but it wasn't. What did however was the object she took out. She gasped as the glowing object in her right hand was a crystal, beautifully carved with swirls and patterns of a glacier blue. Her eyes were an inch away from the glowing rock in her hand. This rock was gift for Jack. Two weeks ago in Greenland, she met with the natives, the Kalaallit they called themselves, and one had given her this rock as a gift for helping them out decades ago. Yet the chieftain saw Jack and said it was actually for _him_ , that she should give it to him. Now it was in her possession. Elsa quickly sat herself up while examining the crystal in her hand, baffled. She, she swore she placed it in his pockets! When placing him in bed, she tucked it in his hoodie. Did he-did he completely forget about it? Elsa watched and turned the crystal around to see it still glowing, pulsing like a heartbeat as a flash of tiny veins grew around it in spirals. "I...I should go give this to Jack, maybe he didn't actually leave and- Oh-" Elsa stood herself up and sat back down just as fast, her head suddenly throbbing. Why...why was her head throbbing? She's seeing veins now. Elsa placed her hand over her forehead as the blue crystal continued to pulse like a heartbeat. She wasn't getting a cold, the temperature was fine for her and in control, so what is making her so...sleepy. She-she needs to go to sleep, yeah. Like what Jack said. Go to sleep... The pulsing of the crystal grew brighter and the silhouettes of veins and spirals appeared on the wooden walls. Louder and louder, bigger and brighter as Elsa moved her head in a daze, her eyes half awake and seeing stars. She laughed like a little kid "Haha...Jack said to go to sleep..hehe..Jack.." and fell back into bed, her head on the pillow as she closed her eyes, her head throbbing and the blue glowing crystal still in her hand. Not a moment later she was already sound asleep as the sun rose into the sky. 

* * *

Everything was dark in her vision, there was nothing but darkness for while until she could see a light coming from the distance. It looked so warm, so inviting that she wanted to go near it. So unconsciously, she did. Elsa, who now floated around like an actual spirit, aura as white and icy blue, flew towards the warm welcoming light. When she arrived at the welcoming light, the scenery changed from utter chaos to a winter wonderland. Snow fell, trees of all kind were bare and frosted with crystals of ice. A giant river was frozen as it moved down a waterfall towards another area. vegetation covered in snow and creating patterns and pictures of any kind. Animals in hiding or either frozen in a cast of ice. Elsa turned and roamed about in this amazing dream as she flew under a tunnel of pine trees burdened with snow. It felt so refreshing, so happy and so...so alone. She stopped her mind from wondering and noticed a cottage and a man sitting on a stump before a frozen pond. She carefully flew over to the man, who was fishing with a line and his skin blue as ice. Yet he wasn't cased or permafrost in ice, he wasn't a statue of any kind but he was moving. Taking out the fishing line and casting it back into the frozen pond. A pail was settled next to the man and Elsa could hear him whistling and singing a tune. She carefully floated behind him as he sung, a long beard untamed and very muscular. She didn't want to interrupt his focus on fishing, so she listened to his song. It was a nursery rhyme. 

"Hjuki and Bil went up the hill to fetch a pale of water, Hjuki fell down and broke his crown and Bil came tumbling after-" The man took out his fishing line, seeing it once again empty, whipped it back in with a grunt. "Bah..you won't get away from me" He continued "-Up Hjuki got, and at home he did trot, as fast as he could caper! To old Dame Dob! Who patched his nob with vinegar and brown paper!" The man sung louder as he saw the ripples of the pond start to move and a shadow underneath the white and red fishing bob. "When Bil came in, how did she _grin_ to see Hjuki's paper plaster!-" The man suddenly stood up from his stump and started to reel in the fishing line, feeling the pull of the fish underneath the ice. "Mother _vexed_! Did whip her next! For causing-" The man grinned as he tugged and reeled until the ice cracked and an abnormally large black fish breeches from the pond and into the air. "-HJUKI'S DISASTER! A-HA! There you are! You fantastic beastie!" The man grinned wider as the long black fish flew into the air and he quickly pulled the rod away from the pond and onto the snowy ground next them both. Elsa widened her eyes in astonishment at the logic of such a long fish would be found in a pond like that.

The fish itself moved and squirmed on the snow, breathing in the cold dry air of this white wonderland as the man laughed a haughty laugh. He stood by the fish, unaware that she was next to him, and grinned at his success. She could see that his skin, in fact, is colored an icy blue, his clothes were like rags of a poor man, yet he was indeed muscular. His eyes an ocean blue and his beard covering his neck in the same color as his skin. "I'd say a mighty fine catch! Look at ye, black and gray, probably good for a two course meal" He patted his stomach as the fish was still squirming and struggling for survival. "Had a feeling you were in there somewhere. In ye go" Elsa watched the big man take the black and white fish by the tail to drop it into the bucket. He started to lift up the giant bucket before Elsa intervened to help him by lifting the other side of the bucket. Despite her ghostly transparent appearance, she could feel how cold the bucket was, and the stare the big man was giving her. Elsa looked directly at him, having a thought of being totally invisible in her dream, seeing ocean blue eyes locking onto her own with a serious expression. Elsa blinked rapidly. "I-uh...you can see me?" The man nodded. "You can hear me?" Again he nodded. "I-uh. I thought you needed help. since that fish is so big. I-if you don't want it then-" He laughed, alarming the spirit. "Of course you can! I need a few extra hands anyway. Come with me to the cabin!" Elsa nodded with a smile as she helped the muscular man with carrying the bottom of the pail.

When they were heading towards the snowy white and glacial blue cabin, she could hear voices from a far. Children laughing and playing. Elsa turned her view towards the sound of children to see, with utter shock, Anna and Kristoff as children playing and kicking in the snow with two other kids. Another voice appeared from the woods and the four kids were running away from a taller man. Their skin was like ice, but their clothing were in different colors. The man that ran after them with a giant snowball in his hands was no other than Jack, wearing a cloak and vest with a joyful smile on his face. Elsa stared at the man running, his hair as white as snow and his skin blue like ice. He was preoccupied with throwing the snowball and chasing the kids around the area. She saw them leave towards the forest and out of her line of sight. She turned her attention back to the cabin and continued on inside. Once they were inside, looking very cozy and comfortable, they both placed the huge pail onto a wooden table. Elsa released her ghostly grip on the handle. She saw the man release the bucket and walk away to fetch a couple of logs. The spirit watched him place the logs into the fire and let them crackle inside. Elsa began floating around the cabin to see it was a decent sized cabin with windows and a nice chimney. It looked like it would hold 4 people with a dining area and a kitchen, maybe even a couple of comfy chairs. There were plenty of decorations, toys and books on the shelves. A couple of deer antlers were hung on the walls with snowflakes dangling from the ceiling. The cabin seemed so comfortable to live in.

Elsa placed her ghostly hand over a picture of a family of four she didn't know about and turned her head. "Is this your family?" The muscular man kept placing logs into the fire and stood up, shaking his head. "No, they are not" Elsa opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted by the cabin door opening as a cold wind blew by them. Elsa hovered by the entrance to see Jack wearing that same old cloak with a grin on his face. He scurried inside the house with something in his hands, excited to show the bigger man. "Father father look at this! Look what I found!" Jack went up to the bigger man and uncovered his hands. Elsa floated by them both and saw a little baby crow in his hands. It was cold, but breathing and chirping. "A baby crow? Where did you find it?" "In the woods, it fell from its nest and I think the parents left him there. I don't know what to do with it, but it has pretty white marking on its feathers" Jack poked the little crow and moved it's wings to show the white swirling patterns that would replicate spots. White spots she knew all too well "Ah...Very pretty bird" "Can I keep it?" Jack's eyes lit up with hope and Elsa couldn't help but smile at his expression. "I promise to take care of him Father!" The muscular man rubbed his long beard. "But what will he eat? We are in the middle of winter, I don't have enough pellets or bait for him to eat" "I...I can think of something. Maybe the fish you just got?" Jack pointed the black and white fish in the bucket. "Well...that fish is for all of us to eat, but I suppose it's enough" Elsa watched him celebrate with his new pet bird in his hands as he danced by the fire. "I'm going to name you Muninn, like the moon" "Muninn is nice name, like Odin's bird?" Elsa was next to him, waiting for some reply but he just kept staring at his new pet by the fire. Elsa waved her hand at him, he didn't see her. She then tried touching him, but her ghostly hand went right through his head.

Elsa looked at her own hand, seeing Jack's cold icy figure through her palm. She floated over towards the bigger man who was now placing the fish on a tray. "What's going on? Why can't he hear me?" "This is apart of a dream Elsa. He can't hear nor see you" She blinked in surprise. "How do you know my name? This is my dream isn't it?" The muscular man turned his head to face her. "Well this isn't particularly a dream. It's another realm of memories, memories that my river collects from the ones that I chose" She backed away from him slowly in thought. "Wait wait wait. Your river? Memories that you chose? Who are you? Why did he call you father when you look nothing alike?" The muscular man blinked, baffled and then chuckled to himself. "Oh Elsa, and I thought you would sense who I was. We're the same anyway" "The-the same? I...I don't" Her eyes darted, looking for a sign or an answer. "Here's a hint: I created you" The spirit stopped searching in her mind and stared baffled at the bearded man. "You. Ahtohallan? You're-you're talking to me...why did it take this long for you to show yourself to me. I-I thought you weren't see-able and just a spiritual essence in a glacier and yet you're actually..." Elsa started panicking, floating around as the deity watched her. "Elsa I can explain"

"-I thought you were a _female_!"

She clutched her head and messing up her hair. "A. Female!" The deity tilted his head to the side in understanding. "Male. Female. Personification. Yeah it happens" Elsa took a deep breath and calmed her racing mind down. "So what's going on anyway?" "The crystal in your hand" Elsa tilted her head up to see the deity point to her hand. She opened her palm to see the same crystal that she slept with. "Ever wondered why the glacier pulsates like a beating heart?" "Yes" "It does that because it's apart of a living being. My river froze centuries ago just to imprison that being. It's not along the one small river but the entire island. Along with Greenland and Iceland the glaciers are trying to keep monsters and nightmarish beasts bounded until the time eventually comes..." The deity stabbed the fish with an icy spear to kill it and placed it in the oven. He turned to Elsa and sat himself down in a chair. Sighing deeply with his old age"...I'm sorry I kept you that long in the river, the glacier was more or less my wife's idea. freezing it up and sheltering sacred knowledge and other ancient beings. Preserve them in ice as long as possible...maybe for your own sake. I know what happened those years ago, I knew it was going to happen so I made sure you would listen" Ahto leaned against the wooden chair. 

Elsa watched him reach for the empty pail, now full of water, and two cups. He poured the water into the two cups and handed one over to Elsa, who was surprised that she could hold such a thing in her ghostly form. She peaked into the cup to see her reflection, not at all ghost like but full of color, and then up to the deity who took a drink from the pail water. Why is he drinking water that obviously has some fish odor in it? "Um, shouldn't you boil the water first? It takes out the bacteria of the fish" he smiled as he drank to her comment. He placed the cup back down unto the table and peaked into the pail. "Hmm good point. But it's still good to drink. It doesn't taste that bad" Elsa looked down at her reflection again, tapping the stone cup with her fingers. "Smell not good for your taste?" She shook her head. "No, no I just...Why are we meeting now of all times? Why did you send Jack to your river? I-I saw his memories, his past and his history. Let him go so far to see an ancient timeline and hurt him. You..you didn't need to do that to him nor me" "Jack Frost is pretty unique for a fairytale character-" Ahto continued to drink his cup. "-so many stories and songs about him, non seemed to be that ancient. Ah, but the past is in that past you say. Memories are just that, memories and nothing more. But what if I tell you there is more to the ice elf and there is more to you?" Ocean eyes stared directly at the spirit. "What do you mean? More to me? I already know who I am. The fifth spirit, you-you gave me that title and knowledge that I was something bigger and more important than before. The bridge between physical and spiritual nature-"

"You're also my daughter"

"Then why let me watch my family die? Generation after Generation my family dies and I still live! What's your plan with me being immortal? What's the deal with a sea serpent saying about your choosing and trying to kill me? Does it actually know that I'm apart of you and possibly your wife? Why won't you let me go to the underworld? Or just die naturally instead of turning to ice one time 200 years ago?" Ahto watched her pace around the kitchen, still holding the cup in her hands, and went towards the icy Jack sitting by the fireplace. Elsa was next to him, looking at his profile. Focused and trying his hardest to warm the baby crow in his hands. He kept talking to it, encouraging it. "Everything is going to fine Muninn, the fire isn't going to hurt you. I'm not gonna hurt you. I promise. You have to believe in me okay?" Even though his words were spoken for a baby crow chirping away. Those words were the same ones he told his sister in a memory. Elsa turned away from the scene and back to the muscular man, who had been watching her. "Don't put him into your mess"

"I don't cause the mess Elsa. I wanted balance, peace from everyone but I know that won't happen. I kept you alive as spirit because of the promise of an Eternal Life down on the earth... For my own fear of losing you like the last two, I became selfish and took you away in the ways of a shaman" Elsa looked down at her reflection, standing before the deity. "Does the Sami know about this?" "I've kept plenty of secrets from them" Before Elsa was going to ask more questions to the deity, a strong gust of wind blew from the cabin door. Alarming both of them to look behind and see a black gust of wind and shadow leaking through the wood and windows. The cabin door opened with a bang as a shadowy figure with yellow eyes, in a silhouette of a wolf stood, flashing its white teeth at the two spirits. It howled. "Wha- what's going on?" Ahto clenched his fists and his teeth as the wolf took a step forward into the cabin. "It was going to find me eventually...Elsa. Place the stone in the cup and drink it. Now" "But-" "Do it now It'll cut communication off!" Elsa, without hesitation, took out the blue stone and dropped it into the cup as the wolf charged after them both. In one quick gulp, her vision turned black. 

* * *

The first thing she felt was falling and slamming onto the bed as her eyes awoke to the sight of a terrifying ghost hovering about her, a swirling vortex of black sand appeared as it was gripping hold of the shinning stone tied to her neck. It's white and yellow eyes staring over her as it tugged on the stone. What. What is this? Suddenly, she placed her hands onto the stone where creeping fingers took hold. Flashes of visions entered her mind as she touched both stone and black ghost.

It was Jack again, skin blue as ice, trails of frost covering him. He stared on with a cold heart and yellow eyes, saying words she couldn't understand. Then it was a girl and boy, frozen solid in ice. Then a shooting star landing in the Himalayas. The last vision was Ahto, her creator, being shielded and protected by a boy in black, facing off a giant serpent that was controlled by a man of fear. The luminaries darkened and the sky red as blood.

She blinked and saw Bruni spitting out pink fire to lite the demon. The fire reached the demon and it screamed in a bloody horror, letting go of the stone and in a blaze. Elsa maneuvered out of the bed and out the wooden tent. Around her she saw the other three spirits gathered by her. She saw the same women from two weeks ago, Mother Nature, place her hand towards the earth giants who were about to throw a boulder towards them. The earth spirit froze in a throwing position as the women held them back. She was on top of the tent. "What's going on? The spirits are all awake?" A Northuldran women asked as the natives walked out of their tents. "I..I don't know what's happening" Elsa took a step forward, clutching the stone against he collar bone. "I woke up and-" "easy now, put the boulder down. She's fine" Elsa looked back up to see Mother Nature move her hand lightly towards the left. The earth giant turned away and threw the boulder in a random direction away from the tribe. "There. That's better. No killing anyone today" Mother Nature stepped down from the tent and right in front of Elsa. The spirits and Saami bowed their heads to her in respect "Elsa. Glad to see you're actually alright" the tall women smiled kindly to the spirit reassuringly. "How...how did you stop the giants?"

"Well sweetie I'm Mother Nature. The spirits need to obey. They live on my realm, they go by my rules" Emily noticed the crystal she was holding in her grasp. "But nevermind that, we need to go" She took a hold of Elsa's wrist and tugged her away from the tribe. The three spirits following them. "H-hold on! Where are we going? Where are you taking me?" Elsa tried to escape from her grasp, but fighting with Mother Nature herself would just lead to foolishness. "You can't stay here Elsa, they'll target you, the crystal that you have right now? They want it. At least you have one. Damn it I should've seen this one coming" she cursed as they passed by the forest of debris and reached the four runes of the forest. They were outside the enchanted forest now and the three spirits stopped in front of the entrance.

Emily and Elsa looked back towards them. "They stopped" "They're not aloud to leave the forest, they're spirits of these woods" "Oh really? The wind spirit got out just fine after the fog reduced, so did the water spirit. The fire spirit always liked to be with you" "Well, yes. They did, but they probably don't want to leave" Emily shrugged it off and turned back around to the fields. "No problem, it's only for you anyway" she continued on dragging her along. "Wait. Where are you even taking me?" Elsa struggled again and finally took her wrist back. "Look. I don't understand what's going on. You said those things- those demons- are coming after this crystal for what? You helped me and Jack to go back to the forest unharmed and now you want me to leave?" "Yes" Emily and Elsa stared at one another in silence until Elsa gave in. "Alright. I'm not going to fight you. You"re much more powerful than I am. Can you at least tell me where you want me to go?"

Emily turned herself around and with one flick of her hand, a gust of wind encircled them.

"We"re going to the North Mountain"


	22. Eggs in Crystal Runes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emily goes to an Irish pub.  
> Pabbie finds an ancient history in the temple.  
> Jamie encounters more messages  
> 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So....its been a month 👀

[Glenariff Forest, Ireland]

[December 31, 2027]

Snowfall was rare in Ireland but it seemed not so rare in most northern countries of the world. The Irish got used to all the rain and the cloudy days, yet now they had to get used to all the sudden snow piling up everyday. It hadn't stop snowing for a week and the citizens seem to be freaking out about it. It was funny for the fae that lived in a deep forest, away from the cities and streets of ignorant humans, to see or even hear about them closing schools for an inch of snow. Pretty ironic to see them freak out, but snowfall never really happens that often. Usually the sneaky fae would go to the streets of Berlin and see what was all the fuss. Why be sad about isolation and quarantines when it's a perfect time for ol' mother nature to finally get some peace and quiet after centuries of hustle and bustle. Not to mention he can finally roam about without scurrying or making stupid looking mascots of himself every holiday. That he would hide from humans and go to his trusty cave, a pub designed for any wandering and welcoming creature who needed a drink or two before heading off. The pub is mostly hidden and rare to find unless you could follow the ends of the double rainbow and a trail of fairy circles in the deep green mossy woods. Plenty of humans his age and smaller had tried to search and hunt for his home that said to guard a land full of gold and silver. Yet get lost and probably went home or encounter other mythical elves and winged human-like beings. A clever and sneaky elf that he is, taking refuge in a mound connected to the earth and letting the thick trees grow around it. The pesky humans say that he lived in the roots and holes of the trees, yes but not him specifically. The other 3 foot elves they so loved to talk about did live in and around the woodland trees, Pat was just more or so the caretaker if they ever get thirsty or hungry protecting their own pots and bowls of gold. 

"Seriously, I live under a mound! I should get use to poppin' aroun' Aster's tunnels!" Patrick complained, cleaning the inside of a beer mug behind the bar table. He was talking to a dwarf as it sat on the stool and drank a shot of vodka, nodding his head as if he was really listening to the green clad pointy eared man. "I don't get why he could do that ta me! Dragin' me around like that everywhere! It's not like I know a good place for Swedish rock trolls to live right lad?" Patrick stopped scrubbing the mug to see his costumer suddenly drifting off to sleep. Looks like he drank too much. The fae sighed and slammed the big mug down on the table, forcing the dwarf to wake up from his suppose sleep. "W-wah oh yes yes totally agree" he rolled his eyes. "You haven't heard anything I said did ya?" "Uh... holes?.." "I think ya had enough for tonight" Patrick took away both half-empty cup and bottle, placing the bottle back on the cupboard. "Aw don't be like that Patty! Just two more shots-no no three!" the dwarf counted his fingers, his eyes drowsy as he leaned over the table, clawing and reaching for the cup in the owner's hand. "It's past your bedtime ya sleepy bugger!" Patrick clenched his teeth, forcefully kicking the dwarf with the most fanciest boots no one has ever seen in the face. "Get ye filthy body off of me table. Unless you wanna pay me extra" Pat struggled, keeping his reckless customer from reaching the cup. The dwarf growled. "Why ya gotta be so greedy!?" "It's just 6 euros! Unless ya wanna make it 13, get off!" As the two creatures were struggling at the bar, the wooden door to the pub opened with a loud bang, alarming the other mythical customers at their own tables. Patrick finally kicked the dwarf away from the bar, resulting in him falling from his stool and unto the carpet floor. 

The pub became quiet as the customers looked behind and in front of them to see, from up the wooden steps, a tall women, hair as black as night and a jungle green dress that could blend in the forest if it could, and an expression full of frustration with eyes darting about the pub. They all watched her walk down the steps as the sounds of rolling stones came from behind her. The lonely, curious and shivering Swedish trolls went inside to feel the warmth of the pub. They too looked around the place, but wasn't as frustrated as the tall long haired women. Pat quickly placed the cups away with wide eyes of surprise, watching her walk down. The dwarf got himself up and onto his chair with the same surprise, but with more sluggish. They watched her, Mother Nature herself in the flesh, stomp into the pub with fingers rolled into fists and her teeth clenched. Forest green eyes locked onto the leprechaun and he shuddered as she approached him. "M-mother nature! Nice to see ya...What's gotten ya so...in a twist?" Said women still looked around about hastily, all the other creatures in the pub awkwardly shifting about in their seats at the powerful aura she admitted. She sighed, her eyes closed and her hands relaxed against her body. Pat saw the tall women sit down on a stool, her legs crossed, leaning against her palm and rubbing her temples. "Ugh. Nevermind..." Her demeanor had changed from frustration to tired disappointment like the sudden shift of the wind and rain. Pat blinked, seeing her forest eyes not looking anywhere but the wooden walls of the pub, and raised an eyebrow in question. She slouched in her seat as the 3 rock trolls walked around the pub and towards the bar, brushing the snow off of themselves. "Oh-kay. You alright there lass?" Emily sighed again "No...I'm not. I *sigh* I just need a drink. Think I'm hallucinating" "Want a pint of Guinness to cheer ya up?" Emily chuckled and shifted her eyes to the bartender. "Sure. To distract myself from history, I'd like that" She turned herself to sit properly before the bar and watch the fancy dressed Fae was getting out the bottle and cups.

"History? There's plent' of 'em. What type of history ya talkin' about?" He handed her a tall empty glass and she took it in her hand. The medieval Irish music and noise of the customers returned as the rock trolls got themselves upon the chairs, the dwarf finally passed out on the floor. Emily watched him pour the beer perfectly into her glass. "There ya go. One pint" she took the glass closer to her and grinned "What no pay this time? You're usually the greedy type" "Oh, I know ya have so much gold and precious stones that I could steal for my own gain, but I ain't gonna cross ya like that. Don't wanna see this place blow up when ya be in that mood" "Of course not" Emily whispered and began drinking the beer as the trolls watched her, then turned to the green clad elf, who took notice of them. "Now what d'ya want? Sleeping in tree trunk bases ain't that bad, neither under stone bridges" one troll placed his hands on the table, they all looked well, either concerned or curious. He could never figure out troll expressions. "Oh we're fine about our beds, we just want this winter to end. It's nice to be in here" "Can I have a pint?" Another troll asked, reaching for the glass in her hand. Emily flicked her hand away as she kept drinking, a little gust of wind blocked the troll from touching her glass. "Should ya trolls be used ta winter? Ya live in Scandinavia! It's snows all the time there" Pat placed the bottle back on the wall behind him. The third troll, bits older than the other two, responded as the two trolls were distracted by Emily chugging the beer down. "Usually but the season is getting colder than what we're used to. Everything was turning to ice over there pretty fast. You know what happens to trolls with extreme weather?" Pat leaned against the bar table, bored as he already knew the answer. He's heard it from them probably 5 times this week. "Let me guess: ya break into pieces or turn to actual stone? I know what happens. I heard ya say it. I've been to Giant's Causeway before" The youngest troll started playing with the small gust of wind that surrounded the deity "Also we haven't seen Pabbie in a week" Pat perked up, finally remembered what was missing. "Oh that's right! Haven't seen that magic wielding troll either. Where'd ya think he skipped off to?" The three trolls shrugged. As if they knew where their elder went off to. Honestly the trolls didn't seem to mind Pabbie's absence, they could do whatever they wanted without the elder watching over them all the time. That equals more fun shenanigans and pranks.

Emily placed the glass down a little too loud that it made the trolls jump. "Ah~ That hits the spot. So you lost your elder or something?" She turned her attention to the trolls "Yeah. After coming back from the spring oasis, we haven't seen him since. I think that hare lied to us" the youngest troll responded and whispered the last part in the ear of another. Emily tapped her glass with her fingers. "What hare?" "Aster. The trolls came here, then some shadow elf thing warped us ta Aster's realm. I could tell ya he loathed the idea of em stayin' in his burrow. Dragin' me around everywhere ta either find that douche bag or another home. Since ya know. It's snowin' like another ice age. So what type of history got ya to come here and forget?" Patrick asked, still leaning against the bar, curious about the deity's entrance. Emily took a breather "Get me another glass and I'll tell you" "Ooo. I don't know, one drink seemed enough-" "I'll give you 30 gold nuggets for it" Pat grinned, his elfish ears moved upwards and he stood himself up. "Now we're talkin'. Comin' right up" he went back to the wall of bottles, taking her glass with him. Emily crossed her arms while leaning back against her chair. "You're very predictable, shoemaker" the fae just kept grinning as he poured another perfect glass and slid it to her. "Thanks for the compliment" they all watched her drink another glass of beer and place the half empty glass down. "Careful not to be like that guy down there" Pat warned and gestured to the fallen drunk dwarf near the bar, snoring. "Took 8 shots of vodka, poor guy" Emily and the trolls turned to see him on the ground. A dirty mining dwarf. "He only had enough for 4 shots. But I gave em more just to shut his trap about a lady named Snow White" Pat shrugged as he leaned against the bar, waiting for the deity to tell her story.

"So. What's your story then? Wayward plastic princesses, powerful deities, Magical forests. Witches. Something other than Disney..." Emily sighed, leaning towards the bar table now and looking down at her beer. "You know about those runestones?" "Oh yeah, which ones? In Scotland?" "I meant the ones in the water. That kept following Jack around" "Oh, that. Aster told me about em. Those snowflakes in the water...kept hearing music in em. Why? Ya know about it?" Emily nodded slowly, not looking anywhere else but her beer. "It's more or less a long story, Sanderson gave me a dream about those damn stones. I know he's creative but... I saw vikings, they were sailing towards Greenland with runestones in their hands towards a wasteland. They went to Antarctica afterwards and the whole ocean became frozen solid" "Vikings?" Patrick blinked and then grimaced. "Oh. Those raiders. Stealin' our gold and runnin' away. Never liked em, never trusted em. What were they doin' in Antartica?" "Well. They were chanting and...I heard his voice" "Who's voice?" "Ahto" "Mmm..Don't know him" Patrick shook his head, his arms crossed. "He's more or so a Finnish Poseidon" "...Nope. Still don't know em" Emily sighed again as she leaned back into her chair. The oldest troll raised his hand up.

"We know about Ahtohallan, well Pabbie mostly knows, but we heard in the far north, he is said to be the source of all magic" Emily scoffed as she pinched the bridge of her nose, annoyed by what the troll just said. _'Source of all magic. Sure. It's just a river of ancient history. Nothing magical about that'_ Mother Nature sipped more beer. "It's just a damn glacier. Full of fresh frozen water, nothing more to it...Source of magic my ass" she gripped the glass in her hand and took another sip, her eyes focused as if her thoughts were somewhere else. Patrick noticed what she was doing to the beer: Making a tiny whirlpool inside the glass as her attention had drifted away. Her expression maddening. "Oi. Calm yourself for a bit. Sounds like you and this Ahto guy had some history together?" The deity took a slow breath and had another sip. "No. We didn't. I'm more or so furious of him using Jack as a tool. Ruining my own plans and blocking out my communication from the guardians"

Hold up. Blocking out communication from the guardians? Pat never heard about this before. Sure Mother Nature could talk to any animal and create an earthquake with one flick, easily finding where everyone was and probably the most powerful he's ever known but...a glacier god? The fae turned himself back around to face her, eyes wide with confusion. "Wait. _How_ , prey tell, can a _frozen river god_ block out your - _mother nature_ \- telepathic communication -practically linked to the _whole entire earth itself_ \- from spirit guardians?" Emily shrugged her shoulders as Patrick was still baffled of what he's hearing. "Well. For one he's the god of the sea, not a glacier, he just lives in another realm. Far far away from my reach and dare I say, very close to my husband" She took another sip of her beer, the trolls listening while playing with her trail of wind.

Oh. Now this is getting interesting. Pat leaned his elbows on the table, ready to hear some drama. "Ooo. Marriage drama between gods? I'm all ears" his grin widened as did the three trolls. Emily's eyes widened and spat out the beer right onto the elf's face and clothes, who reacted accordingly. "Oh shite my clothes! Ya gonna pay extra for that!" He stood up as he looked down at his beautiful green Celtic vest, decorated with gold chains, covered in Guinness. Emily covered her mouth, cleaning off the excess beer while glaring at the elf, blushing from either the beer or his ridiculous conclusion. "No! That *cough* that's not *cough* what I meant you utter *cough* bafoon. Don't go to conclusions!" Pat grabbed a towel and wiped his face, mumbling to himself as the trolls were getting curious of her predicament. "Why so angry then?" "Did Ahto do something? Have you met him before?" "Was there a love triangle between you three?" "Did he cheat on you?!" "What did he say?" "Who's your husband? Another god? Tell us! Tell us!" Emily shook as the trolls were cornering around her, getting closer and closer as she was hiding herself, her hands curled in fists. Pat stood a step back, he could tell she wasn't in the mood. He glared at the trolls. "Oi! Can ya trolls go bug someone else for a while?. Can't ya see she's uncomfortable?" The three Swedish trolls stopped, suddenly feeling the temperature rising in the pub as Emily looked at her half empty glass, seething with rage and haunting memories stirring about her mind.

The trolls then watched her forcefully chug down the rest of her beer and place the empty glass on the table. The three trolls slowly jumped down the chairs and left the bar, worried about the heat, and chatted with the last remaining customers. The pub became quiet, the other 3 foot leprechauns took away mugs and plates from the empty tables. Emily and Patrick were the only ones left in the bar table. He waited for her to calm herself down, sliding her another glass of beer to her. He was serious in this time of night "I'm sorry about that lass. You don't have ta tell me anything if you don't want ta" he leaned his arm against the table, the music getting quieter. Emily gritted her teeth, her raging expression turned to pain as she drank some more beer. It was almost silent in the pub until Emily spoke again. "He..he caged his own daughter Pat" "Who ya talkin about? Ahto?" "I mean. She's free now isn't she. No more home. No more glacier. That's all I could see. Her face. Just a mess of confused emotions. Loosing her magic" "Who are ye talkin' about Mother Nature?" Emily finally looked up from her glass to see emerald green eyes.

"Elsa" Patrick's eyes and ears perked up like he instantly remembered. "Oh! Now I remember. Elsie! The one with the Kelpie? Yea. She came 'ere probably five times a month? Or was it twice? Gosh I loved havin' her around. Elegant and fun lass, always gettin' a cocktail and some fools gold. Gorgeous gal" Pat looked out as he reminisced the past. Emily played with her glass "Yep" and took another sip. "Ya know. You don't have to worry about her. She's fine on her own now. Even if ya say that Ahto...'caged' her. I don't think he really meant to. That could just be who she is" Pat shrugged to himself "But what do I know? I run a pub and take the kiddie's gold every holiday, at least they ain't Norsemen". Emily chuckled to herself, swiveling in her chair as she drank more. "Oh no wait. They tried to trap me for wishes...well whatever" he shrugged the thought off, filling in another glass of beer for the deity and gave it to her.

"That's ya last glass ya know. Don't want ya to go wild wit those emotions of yours" she grinned as she took her fourth glass for tonight. "..I just don't like what he's doing to the both of them. I haven't heard from Manni on what's going on. Don't know why he doesn't want me to interfere. I just- What would he do with Jack anyway? I had a plan set up for years and suddenly there's this world's biggest ice sheet with runes of a sea god" She continued drinking her beer while Pat became confused again "Wait. Can't you just, ya know, thaw it away? You're Mother Nature for cryin' out loud" Emily gulped down the rest of the beer and stood up from her chair. "I could, but I can't cause he's a bastard. Here's your pay. 60 gold nuggets" Pat, still confused, watched the black haired deity lift her arm and long sleeve over the table. What came out of her long sleeve were exactly 60 gold nuggets landing into the empty beer cup. The fae blinked to surprise. "Whoa 60? It was only 30 gold nuggets" Emily started walking towards the door as the trolls had already left the pub. "Consider it a thank you from taking those trolls away, also you needed a new vest" she went up the stairs and started opening the door. "Ay wait! At least help me with the dwarf" "Hm, no can do. Your problem. Not mine. If you need me I'll be in Brazil. Good night~"

With that, Emily closed the door behind her, leaving the two creatures in the pub. "Geez, why be like that Mother Nature?" Patrick sighed as he took the cup in his hands, hearing the dwarf snore at the edge of the bar. "N-No *snore* d-don't do it...S-snow! *snore*" the fae sighed louder. "Oh boy..."

* * *

[Warren]

The realm of eternal spring as the trolls would like to call it, was finally quiet of noise. Piles upon piles of colored eggs either decently or horribly painted by no other than rock trolls, laid in the middle circle of the room. Rabbit totems and giant metallic eggs guarded the tunnels and made sure no one or thing would ruin the pyramids of colorful eggs. No rabbit totem would move from their assigned position for centuries unless it was of dire consequences. No metallic egg or living organic plant would animate violently unless acted upon. This realm of springtime and Easter eggs held an ancient history from a civilization. Abandoned and grounded by quakes, old buildings were destroyed and crumbled like rocks. Temples that would fit for a god could reside here. Technologies and crystals were used as lasers, highly advanced and ancient as the Hare would reside here himself. The petroglyphs, the markings of men and animals together had a taste and feel of a Polynesian lifestyle. Whatever had happened here in this realm of the Pooka was indeed full of unknown secrets. Whatever civilization that resided centuries even millennia ago deep below the earth had been taken by vegetation. If this realm was easily accessible, men of risk and an adventurer spirit would surely love to uncover it's mossy and dense secrets. Though this secret out of many had been revealed to the only troll left in the realm. Of course he didn't really know he was the only troll here, but he did know that there was something inside this old earth temple that was luring him away from the others. The tunnel that guided him here was far away from the light and only his trusted earth crystals would illuminate the dark and dirty path. The first thing he saw was a door, high and tall, wider than he and probably fit for a 13 foot tall creature. Covered and sprinkled with vines and mossy plants that were not from his region that he knows of. Taking away the high vines that veiled the temple door, placing his hands out as to cast the multicolored northern lights above him, he managed to get a picture and symbol on the door. A man praising a moon. Yet there was more as he moved the projected lights towards other pictures on the walls. They were tall carvings and pictures of hares. Hares in clothing and decorative as any human. Patterns on their skin and wielding weapons and crystals across their bodies. Each looking up in rows of 3 at a trail of light that floated to the center of the door. The picture of the man praising the moon.

Pabbie was in a way, awed and perplexed by the pictures and carving on the tunnel walls leading towards the temple door which was...oddly enough shaped like an egg. What strange markings and animals indeed. The small rock troll expanded his light source to get the full picture carved in the wide egg shaped door. The man praising the full moon with what he could recall the trail of light as the Aurora Borealis. Or maybe it wasn't the Auroras and could just be a sparkling river, but what were this creatures? Wearing clothing for humans and standing upright like them, but they were clearly hares. Hybrids? Maybe so. Countless myths of two different species mixed together, to recall as they say, monsters and corruptibility that is forbidden and a mockery to the laws of mother nature. Were these creatures monsters? Or were they apart of this ancient civilization no one not even he knows about? Pabbie continued to scan the carvings and placed his hand on the cold earthy door. Suddenly, his crystals around him grew brighter, the trail of light glowed the usual blue, green and magenta of the Auroras. Pabbie backed away from the egg door that was currently moving and opening as the trail of light swirled into the moon, glowing an icy blue and white. The door divided into two parts and moved away from the center and towards the walls. As the door completely opened, Pabbie looked back to the tunnel entrance, miles away from where he is now, and back to the opened temple door. Inside he could tell was massive and full of egg shaped doors that could lead to wherever it would take him. It was dim but he could see that there was more light inside the temple than the tunnel itself.

Pabbie continued inside, the worrying thought that something had followed him through the tunnel subsided when he reached the center of the temple. The temple, still vast of egg shaped items and doors, shined and glowed like glass panels found in church windows. Yet there was no light source he could find. It glowed in such strong colors that it would rival the Auroras. "Amazing...what is this place?..." Pabbie tilted his head up at the awing height of the temple, seeing more decorations of eggs and vines hanging from the ceiling. Then he noticed his own crystals shining and glowing on their own, brighter or equal to the glassy colors engulfing and painting the temple halls. He wrapped his rocky hand around them, his eyes to the ceiling and covered in pane glass colors, still in awe. Why were they glowing like this? As much as he knew, these crystals would glow with the Aurora lights yet he was nowhere close to the magical trails, he wasn't even above ground and in a completely different realm from where he and the trolls stayed. 

The trolls. Should he go back to them? Probably, he shouldn't have barged in here without the Hare's permission, it was uncivilized of him. If he ever was civilized in the first place. The elder troll turned himself around towards the front entrance of the temple, yet again egg shaped and very large. Pabbie started to a step out of the center of the temple when he heard a menacing and deep growl from the tunnel entrance. He froze in his spot, not taking another step as he rocky body shook silently from his creeping suspicion of what could be his worst enemy. The growling continued, deep and echoed in the tunnel before him. It-It can't be could it? Pabbie shook his own head, taking deep breaths as he slowly turned himself back around and again in the middle of the temple circle. It was just his imagination, getting old! Yes. Yes. He was getting older, hearing things he shouldn't. 

The growling grew louder, and louder, like it was getting closer to him every step it took. Should he risk looking behind him? Possibly seeing his own fears come to life in this temple of eggs. Maybe, maybe this was his end. The trolls were safe weren't they? At least they were not hearing what he thought he was hearing. Yet again, the growling of his enemy grew louder, deeper and very close as if it was behind him, Right behind his rocky back. Pabbie could envision the beast behind him: white menacing monstrous eyes, canines as white as snow, claws as sharp as its teeth, and body tall and black as day light shadows. No. No he shouldn't risk turning around to see his death. Huddling into a rock wouldn't do so good either, since he knew first hand how enormous it really is. The troll shook his head and looked down at the white mossy floor of the temple. A Celtic looking circle surrounding him. The growling became even more menacing and soon enough close to the troll's ears. The crystals couldn't stop glowing. 

From the outside of the temple, the metalic eggs that were guarding the tunnels and the pyramids of eggs stood themselves up from the ground. The eggs switched their faces from neutral to anger, arms appearing from the sides, and ran directly to the tunnel where the temple resided. The angered eggs went inside the dark and deep tunnel, armed with weapons, and stopped before the glowing temple entrance. They saw the temple door wide open and inside was a troll in the center of the temple, descending down the platform, paralyzed and scared. The eggs didn't know why he was so scared, but it was their duty to protect and get rid of any intruders at all cost. Aster has given them orders to make sure no one had access to his temple and to get rid of any one who entered. 

To make sure no curious evil creature stole the Egg Of Creation. 

The three metallic eggs turned their heads to each other, then went into the temple itself before the temple door had the chance to close. They certainly weren't doing the magic of closing the temple doors, nor making the petroglyphs and pictures glow before the entrance. There were no levers or buttons in sight around the temple, but somehow this troll could have access inside of it? They saw the elderly troll descend downwards, his yellow crystals flashing like a code towards them all. The crystals! They were the cause! They need to get the troll out of the temple, and quickly. The metallic eggs were about to jump down with the troll until they too had stopped in their tracks. Growling and laughing, howling and moaning they kept hearing through the temple tunnels. Eyes of white and yellow and red appeared from every countless tunnel it possessed. They looked around them, weapons and spears ready as the annoying sounds continued about the temple. The troll was already gone from their sight and the platform reappeared from the ground with no one on it. 

They were trapped inside the temple with enemies swarming around them, howling and taunting about with their colorful eyes in the dark. What was the troll going to do now that the guards weren't there to stop him? Now they have to worry about these shadows, these fearlings going after the troll and possibly the relic. 

Pabbie sheltered himself, hearing the growling of his predator grow ever so closer to him, while his crystals were glowing by themselves, pulsing and flickering about. Suddenly he felt himself move down, descending deeper and deeper under ground. The light above him shrunk as another platform was made from the sides of the floor above him. He managed to uncover his eyes, expecting his impending death to come with glowing white teeth, to see his predator not with him, but even more glowing lights and pictures of this temple's history. The clothed creatures were creating their own technology as the Auroras were above them. Each panel had these hares connect them with the auroras, carrying bowls and whisks for different purposes, or was it the same? Turning around, he saw even more history with humans by their sides and creatures of earth. The humans and creatures were building a temple for a god in the sky. The platform had suddenly stopped, then turned to another direction to continue the journey. Ever deeper he went, the deeper this temple's origins were. A world flood, a giant ark, bigger than average men, strange technology, a giant egg and a dome made of blue ice above them all. More pictures and symbols that he couldn't recognize continued on the walls until he reached the end. The platform had finally stopped from turning and landed on the base of the temple. He could tell he was at the end of the tunnel when we saw a bright and warm light appear. 

Before him, was a carving of veins that resembled roots, possibly growing out of the cracks of the wall. Pabbie continued to walk through another, wider tunnel, arched with ancient stone and moss, carved like all the other walls yet with more vegetation and hanging roots. As he walked, the carvings of the roots grew thicker and thicker until it eventually turned into a trunk above him. The trunk before him turned to branches that resembled crystals and stones until he reached the end of the tunnel. At the end of the tunnel was a glowing crystalline egg, little holes of light peaked out of the multicolored crystal object. The egg was rested on a nest of twigs and kept inside a the hollow trunk of a living willow tree. Roots of that tree covered and crept over the dirty stone steps that led to the egg. Branches and leaves hung over the area and covered itself as if shielding the egg from criminals and enemies alike. There was an aura about it that was warm and very, very pleasing to the common animal. It felt so...otherworldly, so different and yet so inviting. 

Pabbie took a few steps closer up the steps and in front of the thick willow branches. Carefully touching the veil of branches, feeling such divine protection that he wouldn't get from anywhere else in the world, he slowly opened the up the curtain of leaves to see the multicolored crystals formed and shaped itself into an egg, casting out light that would explain the source of the panel glass dancing around the temple. His eyes were fixed on the crystal egg, resting on branches, twigs and flowers before he realized he could have been followed. Pabbie then froze in place to the sound the haunting howls in the dark. The troll shook silently as his own yellow crystals glowed from the reminder that his predator was upon him and even lurking right behind him. He only eyed the beautiful lit egg inside the willow tree, not wanting to focus on the creature behind him. Yet he was curious of why he was led to this place, and what was this egg here for? A possible light source for the realm perhaps? Well he wouldn't know at all, this was all new to him and possibly separate from his own knowledge. The howling had interfered with his thoughts, the low menacing growl was right behind him, and he felt the dark aura and white eyes staring down at him. 

"Thank you...troll"

It spoke with a hint of growl in his voice, white fluids dripping from it's mouth and unto the troll's head, as if hungry for a rocky snack. Pabbie flinched from the contact of possibly white saliva hitting his head. "I-I b-beg your p-pardon?" Pabbie managed to respond. "You led me to the Source with your magic. Such fine crystals...must hold such power..." The crystalline egg shined, reflected in the shadow creature's eyes with wonder and greed. "In the hands of a rabbit, and to think it was hard...ah-hahaha!" It's deep haunting voice laughed over the troll's many thoughts. In a few seconds, the creature was surrounding the tree, peaking it's head into the trunk as black sand trailed behind the giant wolf. Pabbie blinked in shock at the the creature before him. It really was indeed his predator, Nattmara, in his ghostly form, eagerly taking the crystalline egg from the trunk. "H-How are you still-still alive? You were defeated centuries ago!" The creature didn't answer when he was too busy taking the egg out of the trunk with his mouth. 

When the wolf took out the crystalline egg, landing on the circle of grass, they both were caught off guard by the arched tunnel shaking violently. Suddenly the branches of the willow tree came to life, ready to strike and attack the intruders who dared take the egg. The wolf's legs were being wrapped and bounded by the branches and vines that appeared from the ground. Squeezing the black creature's body has tight as possible. Pabbie saw the creature's snout being muzzled by magical vines coming from the ground. The wolf struggled, growling and clawing into the dirt of the willow tree, feeling himself being dragged into the earth as a small hole formed before the tree. The tree was planing to bury the intruder alive under it for a source of nutrients and this creature was going to become food. It growled, struggled violently as it flew to escape the clutches of the living tree. Pabbie had already escaped the clutches of the tree by rolling away from the spot and uncurled himself to see what was happening from afar. 

The veins continued to tug and pull him into his grave from a height. The wolf didn't let go of the very bright egg, it's canines grasping the egg tightly so it won't slip away. Before the veins and branches can take him, the creature turned to shadow and teleport away into the darkness of the tunnel. The veins and branches held nothing in it's grasp, falling away to the floor. Pabbie watched, still frightened of where the wolf had gone, and decided he needed to find a way to leave the tunnel. He turned around and began to run but only to meet face to face with his predator, holding the relic in his jaws tightly. the light of of egg was blinding for the troll that he had to turn around back towards the living tree. Not a second sooner, from a distance away, the two watched to see the living tree shake, separating itself from the ground and it's roots now movable. Pabbie watched in awe and horror at the size of the willow tree, standing tall and it's thick branches moving about like arms. the hanging branches swayed from side to side,. At the speed of light, the branches and vines of the tree and ground all aimed at the wolf still holding the egg in it's jaws. White eyes grew in horror as the tree moved and walked like a human being, veins yet again wrapping around the wolf's body, squeezing it until it would eventually drop the egg. Or even worse, kill the creature entirely. The creature growled, disappearing from the veins and back into the shadows. Yet again, it held nothing but air, and yet again the wolf appeared with the egg. 

Pabbie watched this living tree swap the flying creature from the air, each and every time, the wolf would appear somewhere else and the tree knew exactly where it was. Capturing, swatting and dragging it towards the tree. Whatever this egg was, it must certainly be sacred to the Hare. Suddenly and off guard, the wolf was next to him, menacing with trails of black sand flowing about him, the egg still in his mouth. He growled yet again at his frustration. "Damn tree...out of my way!" The black creature pushed the troll to the side and ran back to the platform, ready to escape when a gate of bright veins and stone blocked his way. The shadow winced and backed away from the vast amount of light, feeling weak from the light source, and fallen to the ground. 

Pabbie again watched the willow tree continue walking towards the weak creature, who was still holding the crystal egg with stubborn and greed. The willow tree's branches and veins appeared out from the sides of the stone wall, glowing in light and yet again capturing the shadow creature in it's veins. The troll also backed away and flinched from the excessive light radiating from the branches and roots of the tree. He couldn't see what was happening at all, eventually forming himself into a rock when the roots and branches took hold of the wolf.

Two minutes had passed by when Pabbie felt something hit his back. He unrolled himself to see the crystal egg before him and looked up to see the tree walking back to it's resting place. 

What. What happened? 

He slowly picked up the crystal egg, hunching in nerves to see if the tree would take him out too, but nothing happened. He turned around to see the living tree plant itself back into place like nothing ever happened. Pabbie looked down at the egg, then towards the willow tree, then back to the egg. Questioning on why this willow tree isn't going after him this time, and what happening to Nattmara? The elder troll walked over to the willow tree, walking up the stairs and nervously brushing away the veiling branches. It. It wasn't doing anything to him. He carefully placed the crystal egg back into the willow's trunk and gently on top of the nest. Once he had done that, the tunnel shook again a lot less than before. He stepped away from the willow tree, looking around at the tree and egg in wonder. 

"What a strange place... It's as if this egg is your prized treasure...a source of magic that you guard..." Pabbie took a closer look at the crystal egg, shining and reflecting the troll's features. He gently placed his hand on the egg. "...Amazing. Truly amazing..." Mesmerized by the crystal egg, Pabbie stepped a little closer to the egg, curious of it's glowing power. "Do you talk tree?" He patted the bark of the willow tree with his other hand, looking up at the branches with elderly delight. The tree didn't respond, but the branches swayed like the wind blew them. This tree is a guardian to this crystal egg. He still wonders why he was brought down here, in the deepest depths of the temple and possible realm itself, to see this magical crystal egg. 

What responded to his question was the glowing of his crystals matching with the glowing of the egg itself. Pabbie took notice of this, seeing his own crystals talking to the crystal egg that shined it's own bright light. It was another type of magic that these crystals can respond to, not only the Aurora lights...or was it apart of the Northern lights? In the tunnels, all it was were the auroras over carved hares and crystals alike. It was not only the trolls with this magic, it was this egg and that hare as well. The troll looked up and around him, the crystals around his neck stopped glowing as did the egg of light as he heard more moaning and terrified groaning above and around him. 

More horrible black creatures were coming to take the egg weren't they? Oh. It was his fault wasn't it? He went into territory he shouldn't have. The moaning and groaning of these creatures multiplied, they were getting closer to him. What was he going to do now? He possible couldn't defend this source of light magic, the willow tree could, but not him. The sounds were getting closer, and he was getting anxious of the possible encounter of creatures that were similar to his predator in numbers. Pabbie took a step closer to the willow tree, frightened of what was going to happen. 

Not a minute later, banging was heard at the end of the wide tunnel, loud as it echoed throughout the dark. Pabbie truly was scared, hearing the loud banging and moaning from the walls around him become clearer and scarier. This could possibly be his end. The sound of cracked walls and fallen stone ringed in his ears when he saw multiple eyes of white, red and yellow appear from the darkness. What. What were these things? Not a moment later, these shadow creatures flew towards the tree of divine light. And again in the speed of light, the tree's roots peaked out of every crack of the wide tunnel, brimming with light, shot directly at the creatures as fast as light towards the ground. Each root was fast enough to block out the swarming creatures' way, piercing through them as they disintegrated. Pabbie watched, eyes squinting from the vast lights emitting from the roots, destroying and blocking as many creatures it could possibly manage before one would ever get to the egg itself. 

It continued on like this, the roots of the tree would aim, create a shield and utterly destroy any shadows going towards it's way. The lights were to reveal the creatures so they wouldn't blend in with the dark of the tunnel, making sure no had survive or shall ever get passed the glowing light. It wasn't long until Pabbie was able to see his surroundings more clearly and be awed of what had just happened. The whole tunnel was lit up with multicolored lights, no creatures in sight, and the tunnel was empty. Empty except for the mechanical eggs carrying weapons and spears by the entrance. Pabbie was still awed by what this tree could do, and it possibly had more tricks and traps where it resided. He turned around to face the tree, seeing the egg glow yet again as well as the tree itself. Pabbie looked up at the multicolored glowing egg, then at the tree itself. His crystals glowed again in response, flickering in response. Pabbie glanced from his crystals to the glowing crystal egg as they were exchanging words to each other. 

Suddenly, Pabbie's eyes widened as he heard exactly what the egg was saying. It was really talking to him through telekinesis in the mind. He listened, nodded his head as he did and widened his eyes even more at the realization before the metallic eggs could force him out of the sacred base of the temple. 

"Wait he's...free?" 

* * *

[Burgess, Pennsylvania]

[Feburary 5, 2028]

It was another long and boring day, well working with your best friend at a book store didn't seem all that boring. Then again. It was a book store and the hours were getting longer than intended to be, plus the books his friend even suggests -which are fairy tails and codes- are hard for Caleb to understand. A raise would do nicely for the upcoming hours of Jamie continuing to babble on about theories that don't make any sense. Caleb looked down at his watch, a sigh escaped his lips as he shelved more books into the political sections about the current president and the next one. It was only 3:14 PM. Just 2 more hours, just two more hours until he can finally go home and watch that lovely basketball game he so wished to see. He groaned louder to prove his annoyance of work to the whole store, by the whole store he meant Jamie. Who was stocking empty shelves and rearranging manga books across from him on his right. Apparently, Jamie didn't hear him, the nerd was still looking into the manga books while nodding his head to whatever philosophy in his earbuds. Caleb lowered his shoulders, three copies of Fire and Fury and Hiding in Plain Site in his hands as if they were heavier than intended to be, and dropped them before his feet. They weren't loud enough to get the brunette's attention, but it did get other people's attention in the quiet book store. That included the boss. "Caleb? What happened? I heard something fall"

The boss, a Russian women who held her hair in a pony tail, peaked out from another area of the book store to see what was going on. "Oh. Nothing, Ms. Katherine, they uh...slipped from my grasp" Caleb inwardly sighed again as he picked up the six books from the ground. "Here let me help" Katherine lowered herself, picking up the three copies of Hiding in Plain Sight and placing them in the correct areas on the shelf. "You're working very hard lately Caleb, which is unusual of you. But I don't mind the extra effort. You should keep it up" said man as he picked up the other three books and placed them in the correct order. "Thanks boss.." Caleb glanced away from her, impatient as he looked at his watch -3:15 PM- and sighed again, gaining her attention. "What is it?" "It's nothing. Everything just feels so slow today" "Slow? Really? Today doesn't feel that slow. I'd say it was pretty quick" "That's cause a bunch of 8 year olds came by today and you kept reading to them about make-believe fairy tales that'll crush their little hopes and dreams and it was all a _lie_ in the end" Caleb placed his hand on his heart as he mimicked of being heartbroken while Katherine placed her hands on her hips "Hey. They're not make-believe Caleb. Fantasy stories have a magic touch to them, a realism and imagination that touches their minds" "Yeah to punish kids" he said as he took more books and placed them on the shelves. "Punish? What makes you say that?" Caleb fixed his posture as he gestured his hand to Jamie across from him. "Trust me, whatever folklore comes out of his mouth sounds like a fear mongering tactic towards kid's recklessness. Like..uh..trolls? They steal kids for crying out loud" Katherine was going to say a comeback as her employer continued to shelf books. 

Yet she didn't say anything and nodded in a reasonable agreement. She did read books about trolls and other mythical creatures before, and superstition is a thing. Not towards children but for adults too. In a way of saying adults are bigger sized children who still linger on the belief that those myths could be real. Or that they used to be real to them. "Okay. That's fair. I do admire Jamie's passion for mythology, though I don't see him working at all" Katherine saw the man still reading the manga, engrossed into it as he was still listening to something in his earbuds. "You could cut him some slack, the guy's been working on his college assignments for days and _highly_ obsessed with some cafe photo" Caleb flicked his hand towards the brunette who was still engrossed with the manga. "Or you could take his phone away, maybe that strange mythical book he carries around with him all the time" He placed the last books into the shelf, mumbling to himself "And he still can't decipher the thing after a month. His gf is even more obsessed than he is about it" He stood up from the ground with the empty box in hand, standing next to his boss who crossed her arms and nodded her head. "You think he's superstitious?" he shrugged as if he could care less about it, but he was worried somewhat about Jamie going _too_ deep into his obsession with theories and fear mongering nonsense. Or to Jamie's recent words: the truth and proof that they're real. "Maybe...I guess some things just don't change" he shook his head lightly as his boss nodded in agreement."Well, if you need me, I'll be in the kid's section" Katherine turned around and towards the back of the bookstore. Caleb still watched Jamie reading his fantasy manga, unaware that his best friend was walking over to him. 

Jamie was currently reading a page of Maximum Ride, where Ari was revealed to be alive, his eyes warped and his stare powerful as the podcast in his earbuds continued on about the mysteries in Antarctica. He was engrossed in the book until he heard a voice call him by his name, softly as the page of the wolf- hybrid continued to stare at him. He blinked twice. Was-was he imagining things? Did he just see a flash of yellow in the character's eyes? Why is he hearing his own name in the podcast? Well there are plenty of Jamies in the world but, it sounded like it was calling _him_. Jamie's thoughts were all over the place, there were bits of fear in his eyes as his mind zoomed in on the whisper of his name and the character's yellow eyes stare. Suddenly a box was over his head and his high nerves made him jump and scream in shock. Giving alarm to the whole book store. Caleb lifted the box from the man's head, surprised by Jamie's sudden scream. "Whoa man, chill. It wasn't that scary" Jamie took a few breathes, taking his earbuds off and closing the book, placing it back on the shelf with the others. "S-sorry. Got distracted" "Honestly who isn't? You know shift isn't over just yet, you still got one box left, at least it isn't about politics this time" Jamie watched Caleb walk over to the box of books and see that most of it was about fossils and romance. He took some of the romance books out of the box. "So what were you listening to anyway? Let me guess. philosophy? Or some news broadcast? Something either pretty interesting or pretty boring, no in between" Jamie calmed himself down and turned off his phone, taking more romance books out of the box and going to another isle. When they came to the romance section of the book store, Caleb placed took a quick look at the covers of each book with the side labels, made a comment about them, and placed in their respective spots. As he was busy looking and scanning through them, questioning and commenting if Jamie ever read any of those sappy romance books, the brunette was distracted again. Caleb, holding a new and improved version of The Voyage of the Iceberg, turned to his friend to comment on many versions of Titanic to see him looked about his surroundings. "Yo Jamie, have you ever think there would more of these Titanic- what are you doing?" Caleb lowered the book in his hand as Jamie shifted his eyes around the isle of books and shelves until his eyes locked onto brown tired ones. "Oh uh...I just...keep hearing someone calling my name" "You sure it isn't in your head? Or some guardian angel talking?" Jamie slowly nodded "Yeah, yeah it could be an angel or something. I mean we all have one don't we?" Caleb shrugged and continued to take a book, inspect, and place it into the shelf. 

Jamie looked down at the romance books in his hands: Pride and Prejudice, The Notebook and Romeo and Juliet were all books he knew but never really read, well except Shakespeare because...it's Shakespeare. The more popular books that almost everyone read, he didn't. Of course Caleb suggested him some romance books to take notes from, but it didn't seem...realistic at all to him even though he never had a romantic relationship before in his whole school life. He's had crushes, everyone does at a time in their life, but he never had dating experience before. He told that to Caleb before meeting Elizabeth, and he freaked out about it. Even after getting together with her, he _still_ freaks out about it. Jamie still questions on whether Caleb had actual experience on dating or he, too, has a passion other than sports and movies that revolves around romance. When the brunette placed the books in the shelves, Caleb took out another book from the box, tapped Jamie's shoulder, and showed the cover too him. "Hey, how about this? Would work with you and Elizabeth" It was a cover of a man's back and women's legs wrapped around him by the wall. Literally called Wallbanger. Caleb couldn't help but crack a smile and chuckle as Jamie rolled his eyes, sighed as he playfully hit his best friend's shoulder. "Stop it man, it's not gonna be like that. We're still getting to know each other" "Yeah sure. 'Know each other' more like checking you out" "Quit it" Jamie couldn't help but chuckle along with him as he placed the book into the shelf. "It's not gonna happen. Even if you shipped us together it's going to take a while" "Aw man. Slow burn?" "Slow burn is better" Jamie quickly flipped through the pages of The Notebook and placed it on the shelf before getting another book. 

"But slow burn is torture! Don't you want the burn to feel quicker and less painful then feeling the burns creep up at you for...I don't know decades of suffering? Fast burn is better" "Why do you think fast burn is better?" "It gets the satisfaction over with so you can focus on other things" "But there's no trying, there's no emotion and no longing. No buildup between the two characters. What happens when you suddenly put A with B cause they aesthetically look phenomenal together and force them to make out and have sex because of uncontrolled shipping hormones in a week? There's no heart to it. It's bland. It's boring. No character development. No plot in between the buildup. True it's completing satisfaction of the mind but it sounds like no one cares about A or B. They just care about C and that's all they care about, just the sex. It's so dumb and so animal-like. Slow burn is better because there is realistic logic to it. Not some _humping brainless_ _piece of_..." Jamie huffed out in frustration as he slowly exhaled, calming himself down as he took out more romantic novels from the box. Caleb widened his eyes and whistled at the surprise of how angry he could get about this. Well, it should've been expected. Jamie was more of a logical bookworm leaning towards mythology than romance. "Okay. I get your point and I don't blame you. Slow burns are so much better than fast. Don't need to get all crazy about it. You need some milk?" "Yes" Jamie nodded, rubbing the bridge of his nose as he took out the books one by one and placing them on the floor as Caleb left to got to the Starbucks right next to the book store. When Jamie took out the last book, he stopped mumbling to himself and his eyes widened slowly at the cover of the book. The romance book had a women with black long hair and wore a dress in white. Yet that wasn't the thing that took his interest.

It was the title of the novel itself: Betrothed to Jack Frost.

Jack Frost.

There were so many books and poems of him in the last decades that he didn't really bother to look at them. So many different Jack Frosts, so many different personas of him. From a turn of phrase to a sprite to an artistic elf, to a monster and a mischief, even a snowman and a human. Now maybe he's just another expression to everyone. Or just another childhood phrase. Just another iconic name. Jamie scanned the book's cover to see it was published in 2019. A recent book about yet another Jack Frost and there was a sentence below it that caught his eye. "What if every fairy tale ever told was real?" Jamie turned the book around to the back, curious about what the summery was about. In the back of the book, Jamie read it to himself. _'Elle grew up thinking myths and magic belonged to the land of make-believe. Little did she know, she belonged there as well. On the night of her twenty-first birthday, Elle's life changes when she learns of an ancient prophecy dictating a fate that binds her to every fairy tale ever told. Marry Jack Frost_ ' Jamie blinked at the last words. Marrying Jack Frost binds her to every fairy tale ever told? And it's a prophesy that they're meant to be? That doesn't make sense! Oh wait. It's a romance novel. It's suppose to be fateful meant-to-be romantic stuff like this. Even if the plot says they don't want to get married and she faces death with him. Jamie huffed as he placed the three books on the floor, about to slide the books away from him until he heard his name being called again in whispers. The whispers were so close to his ears that he wanted to swat them away. He looked both ways, and around the isle of bookshelves, listening to the whispers as he got up, glancing down at the three books before leaving the bookshelf and boxes behind to another area of the store. The whispers that seemed so small in his ears grew a little louder as he went in different directions like a metal detector. The closer he walked to the back of the store, the smaller the voices. When he reached the back of the bookstore, the voice declined and faded away from his regular hearing. Jamie stopped in his tracks, his eyes still searching about and looking around the children section, slowly covering his ears and uncovering them to only cover them again. 

"Jamie? What are you doing?" Said man turned with his hands over his ears to see his boss looking at him questioned, reading a book of mother goose tales. "Uh..nothing, just thought I heard something in my ears" he then started patting his ears as he awkwardly chuckled. Katherine tilted her head at his gesture "Is it Tinnitus? Ringing in the ears?" She pointed to her ear and Jamie shook his head. "No not really, just some voice. I think it's gone now" He stopped patting his ears, looking in one direction before placing his arms down. "A voice? Hmm...Don't suppose you have Schizophrenia? It's common in stressed people" "No I don't think it's that. If I did I would be hearing voices everyday or something" Katherine sighed and walked over to her employee, who covered his ears again, and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Are you sure you're not just stressed out? University can be pretty overwhelming for people" "I'm. I'm sure... Say don't suppose you have any old translation books?" Katherine blinked twice in surprise "Uh. Translations books? Oh yes! I do have a last box of translation books in the back room, you can shelf them before your shift is over. Don't fret, it's a small box" she patted his shoulder before going back to her own book. Jamie hung his shoulders low and continued to walk all the way to the back of the book store. Seeing the back room door, he placed his hand on the door handle and flinched black from the shocking cold of the metal. 

"Ow!" He rubbed his hand and wrist, looking around him if anyone had seen his reaction, and placed his hand back on the handle. Yet again he felt the unnatural freezing cold of the handle, and took his hand back, eyeing the door handle with suspicion. Why the hell was this door handle freezing cold? Every other metal he touched was at an okay temperature and the store was warm enough. He shook his head from having thoughts about that Christmas present and held the handle again, opening the door to reveal the back room was dark. Turning on the lights, Jamie walked inside the room and towards the small box labeled: Translation books on the rack. It was the only box left on the rack that both him and Caleb totally forgot about until now. He started walking over to the rack, thinking to himself if he could find some rune books even though in the back of his mind he knew that the store won't probably have any of them and he was right. When he went over to the box, opening it, each book were translations from some other story and no rune book in sight. Jamie sighed to himself as he picked out Odyssey of Homer, Broken Stars and Beowulf from the box and placed them on the metal rack, which was also freezing cold to the touch. He again flinched from the contact of the metal bars. "Ah god why is it so cold in here all of a sudden? It wasn't this cold before" He started shivering when the temperature dropped around him. He quickly placed the three books back into the small box and lifted it away from the metal rack before he heard his name whispered again into his head. 

_Jamie...Jamie..._

Said man didn't want to pay attention to the whisper and turned around towards the door. Before he could walk towards the door and out of the room, a sudden small burst of bright light caught his attention from the corner of his eye. The lights of the room were suddenly turned off and everything became completely dark. Jamie hastily scanned around the room in search of the bright light, and seeing nothing until a spiral of bright frost slowly appeared from the corner of the wall. He couldn't believe his eyes...could he? This room wasn't that cold, it wasn't even a freezer and yet he was seeing blinding frost forming from a point on the wall. It was expanding from that point towards the metal rack and the wooden door which was already closed. The whisper was back again and his eyes followed the trail of frost, glowing a bright luminescent blue, traveling from one side of the door to the other and finally stopped when it covered the entire four walls. He huffed out, seeing his breathe from the oddly cold temperature inside the room. Did he want to walk out of the door? For a usual human yeah, he could since it was dark, kinda creepy and probably a ghost was doing this to him, but he didn't. 

He was too awed by the writings that were now being traced into the layer of frost and ice to move. Jamie watched as this mythical spirit started writing and drawing the same symbols and even more runes then what he had seen before in the cafe. It...It had to be the same creature! It had to! It was communicating to him right? With all of these runes, he couldn't possibly remember them all. There were symbols that looked completely different from one wall to the next, each one it wrote was either part of a sentence or completely different language. Jamie widened his eyes and dropped the box of books to hastily get his phone out, taking pictures of each wall as it traced more symbols upon them. It had been like this for a solid two minute when the tracing was finished. He had enough time to take pictures of all four walls before a sudden knocking was heard behind him. Jamie watched the frost immediately fall and thaw away from the wall when the wooden door opened, casting light inside the room. 

"Yo Jamie, I got you a frozen frappucci-no" Caleb peaked into the dark room, holding a Starbucks bottle in his hands to see Jamie's eyes wide with shock, holding his phone horizontally towards a blank wall. A box of fallen books on the floor beside him. Caleb raised an eyebrow in question as he opened his mouth to only close it again. "...I'm not gonna ask" "...Can I say: I think I saw it again?" Jamie shrugged his shoulders with a sheepish smile as his friend opened the door fully and walked inside, flicking the lights back on. "Saw..what? A ghost?" Jamie sighed as he placed his phone back into his pocket, leaning down to grab the fallen out books. Caleb leaned down and helped him. "Maybe? You know that creature I was talking to you about?" He looked up at Jamie with doubtful eyes. "You can't be serious about this one man" "But I am serious! It froze the whole room and wrote more runes! In sentences! I..I think it was trying to communicate with me" The two stood up from the ground, Jamie taking the box in his hands. "In a supply closet?" "Yes! I think he wanted to talk to me in private" They continued to walk out of the back room and towards another shelves of books as the store was starting to close. 

"Let me guess: He ran away because I showed up?" "Caleb-" "I still think he hates me" "I'm sure he doesn't hate you-" Jamie patted his friend's back in reassurance when he obviously knows Caleb wasn't serious at all. "-Probably just the shy type of spirit" He shrugged as they finished placing the books away. After doing that, they both took their belongings and said their goodbyes to their boss. "Why don't you talk to Elizabeth about all of this? You two are such nerds about this stuff" Caleb asked, opening the door of the store as Jamie buttoned his coat. "Well you seem to always be apart of it. Hey maybe we can be a trio and go on a quest to decipher all of these secrets! Like when we were kids!" Caleb rolled his eyes and chuckled "I don't even remember what we did as kids bro. Probably high on make-believe juice?" Jamie walked out of the two doors and into the town mall.

"Maybe"

"Oh! Was it about aliens right? Hah. I remember you always had a thing for aliens. Maybe for your b-day I could give you that shirt"

"What shirt?" 

"The shirt that says: I want to believe. With a flying saucer on it" Caleb gestured with his hands as he chuckled at the thought, walking away from the book store and towards the other stores and stands. Jamie titled his head at the thought. "Well okay, maybe I don't have a thing for aliens anymore but I still want to believe in something"

"Aw really? Like what?" Jamie was about to say something until someone from behind stopped them. 

"Oh Jamie you forgot something!" Jamie and Caleb turned around to see Katherine wave her hand and pace over to the two, closing the doors and locking up shop. She took a breath as she reached Jamie. "Uh. I did?" "Mm-hmm!" She nodded with a smile, holding up a luminescent blue crystal in her hand, round but charted in some areas like a gemstone. The two men widened their eyes at the sight of the blue stone in her hand. "You forgot this" "But...That isn't mine" "I saw it fall out of your pocket earlier when you walked out" He blinked, placing his hand in his coat pocket, feeling nothing but a dreaded hole. "My pocket?" 

When did he get a crystal in his coat? "Yeah, but if you don't want it back I can gladly take it from you-" "No no no! I'll..I'll take it. Silly me for dropping it. Hehe. Thank you" Jamie hastily took the crystal from her hands and waved goodbye as she walked off and out of their sight. "Did that really come from your pocket?" Jamie carefully held the glowing crystal in his hand, staring at the spirals and magical veins trapped inside. "I don't remember ever bringing it with me...Wait" His eyes lit up and he snapped his head to face Caleb with a grin. "I have an idea" His friend backed away "Oh no. I know that look. Don't make me apart of this. I have a game to watch in an hour!" Caleb backed away from the ever smiling man before him when he was suddenly being dragged by the wrist, running towards another shop. 

"Relax, it'll only take 10 minutes!"

"With you. I highly doubt it!" 

From atop of the ceiling, the same black and white armored spirit watched them run through the mall, his expression indifferent yet curious of what this Jamie was going to with his messages. Seeing the time on the big wall clock, he then left the mall by disappearing from the ceiling to the outdoors, silently watching the clouds go by and the sun setting in the distance. Watching and waiting for the enemy, he sat down on the roof of the town mall, his spear across his lap as he could see the flickering of Taurus and Pleiades in the turning sky.

Even from this distance, his home seemed ways away from his reach. Oh how will he contact them now? The creature placed his chin over his palm, looking out into the sky and horizon, waiting as clouds drifted by the setting sun for the dark to appear.

Oh what a lonely knight he was.


	23. Death and Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ansgar asks Elsa about a creation myth.  
> Elsa wonders what happened to her magic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long chapter and a little surpise at the end ;)

[Enchanted Forest, Norway]

[March 30, 1871]

It was the afternoon, the sun peaking from the light sway of the trees, rays of warm sunlight shined through the leaves and branches, reaching down to the grass and lightly warming the surface of the river. Flowers blooming from the kiss of the sun. The breeze of the wind flew by, and so did Gale when she arrived from the south, carrying another letter from Arendelle disguised as a paper airplane. Gale's destination was yet again towards the fifth spirit, who was sitting by the Sami as they use their staves and spears for combat from a distance. Four of them were sparring with each other in a group of two. Practicing in case of another war or surprise attack from fierce wild animals. Elsa sat by a maple birch tree and Bruni was also with her, keeping her company and watching her make little ice dolls of armed guards, warriors and princesses. As Gale approached her, she could hear Elsa and a couple of Sami children with her making up stories as they played with the ice dolls in their spare time. Bruni crawled down her shoulder and onto the green grass, being apart of the made up story with the children smiling and laughing about. Elsa created two more dolls: a man holding a staff, and a bear with one horn on it's forehead. She placed the two figures on the floor, facing each other as the children were occupied with the other ice dolls. "Hmm, what should I call this one?" She eyed the figure of the ice bear, thinking of a name as Gale swooned before her with a letter.

The spirit looked up to see the paper airplane before her, with Gale's trail of spring petals and grass blades carrying it. "Oh, a letter from Arendelle? Thank you Gale" She nodded her head towards the wind spirit, who nodded back and decided to play with the ice dolls, picking them up and moving them to different places, taunting the children. Elsa took the paper in her hand, unfolding it to reveal news that her peaceful demeanor changed to shock. One of the children, who had watched her create the dolls instead of playing with the others, saw the spirit's eyes widen and quickly folded the paper back and placed it on the ground. The child saw her stand up abruptly away from the tree, her eyes towards the ground, then to the child. "What's wrong?" She asked the spirit, who shook her head and hastily sat back down against the tree again, holding the two dolls in her hand.

"It-It's nothing. Now what should we name this one?" Elsa returned the peaceful smile, or at least trying to keep the smile on her face when she started moving the figurines around. "Hmm, maybe Otso? Or Ukko?" She asked the child, who was still curious with her expression. The spirit didn't seem okay at all and the child wondered if the spirit had any emotions that was different than the others. "What do you think Calli?" Elsa turned to look at the child with that fake smile. Calli didn't say anything but watched her her struggle to keep on a playful demeanor. "Are you okay?" She asked the spirit, who just hummed to herself as she picked up the horned man. "Oh I know! He could be a heroic warrior, you know Calli, on my travels I've met plenty of creatures, even scary ones" Elsa ignored the girl's concerned look for the ice spirit by creating another horned creature, tall and possibly a horrid deer hybrid, and placed it behind the man as if looming over the ice doll. "Like this horrid monster, the natives in that land call it the Wendigo" "It looks really scary" "It's suppose to be. They told me legends that the Wendigo is an evil spirit of winter that used to be human but became corrupted and cursed with a frozen heart. So in this story, the hero killed the Wendigo with arrows of fire, rewarding himself by wearing it's skin. So after he killed the beast, the man became a hero to the tribesmen and was rewarded for his bravery and end of a harsh winter. After his many journeys he suddenly encountered a mythical bear that took away a princess-" Elsa took one of the princess ice dolls left on the ground and placed it on top of the bear "-towards an enchanted forest in the most northern land of the world. He asked the princess why was she agreed to go with the bear and she replied: This bear says he is a prince and if he does not wed until midnight, he will stay as a bear forever, so I must marry him" Elsa moved the wendigo doll out of the way, letting Bruni melt the figure into the ground, and placed the hero next to the horned bear. 

"Is the bear cursed too? How did the human get cursed into an evil spirit with a frozen heart?" Calli watched the story unfold as Elsa moved the dolls around, ignoring the folded paper right beside her. She didn't want to see the rest of the news that Arendelle had sent her, it was daunting but she knew it was bound to happen. She didn't want the children to worry, nor anyone else in the tribe for that matter. This was news only for her to bare and no one else. "Well... I would bet either a witch or a god has done this to the human. The human was so selfish with greed and hatred that the god from Ylinen saw this and hardened his heart. He was no more a man than a wild horrible beast" "So the prince was selfish and a god cursed him into a horned bear?" Elsa nodded, her smile was gone. "Yes. He was a selfish king, blinded by greed and very noisy" "Does that happen in real life?" Calli asked, wondering if kings can actually turn into beasts. Elsa glanced away "Probably, but the stories I heard from those lands were myths and legends. I've never encountered anyone turning into a horrible beast, let alone with a frozen heart..." Blue eyes stared out at the river of the forest, seeing the Earth giants sleeping in peace by the cliff side of the river. The warriors who were sparring ended their practice and walked back to the campsite, one tribesmen walking over to the children and Elsa. "Oh. It looks like practice is over" She stated as the children dropped their dolls and went with the older warrior, yet before the children would go with the adult, they went over to Elsa and eagerly asking questions. "Are you going to tell us what happens to the princess?" "Are you going to tell more stories about your adventures?" "Oh please please more adventures!" "Can you tell us about gods too?" "Yeah yeah gods! Frost giants!" "Do you think they're watching over us?" The children were huddling around her as she stood up from her spot. Elsa giggled at the amount of attention she was getting from them. "Whoa now, I guess that's enough story telling for today, maybe tomorrow?" They lowered their arms as she placed her hands behind the children's back when they left her. "But you're still gonna tell us about higher gods and vikings right? I want to know more about them!" One boy asked as she huffed out "Yes. You will. Now go along" She gently pushed the 3 boys, letting them run to the adult native. The little girl, Calli, was still with her, still holding the bear doll in her hand with the princess, looking up at the ice spirit. "What about the story of Aren the viking and his sword? Did that really happen or is it a myth?" Elsa stopped waving at the boys, her eyes widened only for a second before she looking down at the grass before her. Her blue eyes were distant from the present. She was silent for a minute before she responded with that fake smile again, looking down at the girl. "No, it's real. I've encountered it myself, well me and my sister have. Did I tell you that story before?" The girl nodded "Yes. About a week ago" "Oh really? Why can't I remember that?" Elsa placed her hand over her forehead, looking at the ground again "Guess I'm getting old" Calli blinked in surprise "You're old?! But you don't have any wrinkles! Or gray eyebrows! Or back pains! Well not like grandma but-" Elsa patted the girl's head and shook her head with a light laugh. "I'm a spirit you know that right? I don't...well I don't age physically" Calli nodded her head. "Right! Well see you tomorrow then?" Elsa nodded and watched her ran down the hill towards the other children, holding the ice dolls in her hand with a smile. 

Bruni crawled up to her shoulder with the folded paper in his mouth, seeing her expression from a kind smile to one of a bittersweet grief. There was doubt in her eyes, a distant doubt that the title of Fifth Spirit was both her and Anna, but it didn't seem that way. Bruni them crawled towards her hands, making her notice the note in her hand. She sighed and took the note again, unfolding it to read a little more of the news. She folded it again and let Bruni hold the note as she walked down the hill, a sudden gust of wind taking her by surprise as it took her down by the river. "Ah- Gale! Oh. Thank you again" She landed on top of the river, which turned to ice below her feet, seeing her reflection in the water as the ice slowly expanded towards the sleeping earth giants. She stopped the ice from reaching them, and saw the water spirit's eyes underneath the ice, looking up at her with curiosity. "Hi Nokk, we're going to Arendelle again" The water spirit had heard her from the ice and jumped out from the water to land on the ice she made, seeing her force herself to smile towards the water spirit. The spirit didn't buy her act, he directly stared and spoke to her directly. 

_Elsa, it isn't Friday today_

"I know. I just wanted to see the family again, miss them sometimes and it's been a while. I wanted to see how Olaf's doing" She continued on her fake smile. 

_It's Tuesday. It must be urgent..did someone important to you pass away?_

Elsa hesitantly shook her head, not looking directly into the Nokk's glowing blue eyes. "Well, I'm not so certain about that..How would you know Nokk? I didn't say anything" 

_I can sense your aura. You're eyes look distant as if drowning yourself in a lake of sorrows, as in waking up to reality. You don't need to hide things from me. Well, if you insist, we can go to Arendelle today, and possibly go for another ride to Helsinki afterwards, or maybe Iceland? I want to see the bears again_

She giggled from the spirit's excitement to going places, loosing the act "Alright, we'll do that" and got herself up onto the stallion, who neighed and galloped through the river and eventually climbing over the giants before galloping out of the forest entrance of seita stones. The water spirit took another shortcut from the entrance of the forest to stream some miles away, dashing with all his might from the stream to the North Sea and eventually reaching the kingdom and castle. Elsa saw the castle still covered and decorated with her ice magic and the snowflake still standing over the tower. She saw the village expanding a bit more as the ships continued on coming and going with civilians and construction cargo. Elsa and Nokk stopped by the docks, where they could see the village square expanding and upgraded quite nicely. She jumped down from the spirit, and bowed to him as he jumped back into the sea, swimming around the kingdom as the ice spirit walked through the village hastily. When she walked, she stood out like a sour thumb in between all of the townspeople and the workers that were helping in expanding the town. Some villagers had noticed her and most others never did since they were too preoccupied with other things. While heading straight for the castle, she roamed her head from one house to the other, from one shop to the other, to see the changes in almost every building. The statue of her parents still stood in the middle of the town square, looking out happily and holding their hands. She smiled to herself as she past by the statue and the slight updated town clock. Finally arriving at the entrance of the castle, the guards took notice of her and her dire expression, quickly opening the gates to let her in and closed them shut afterwards.

When she walked into the castle, each step she took was anxiety enduring, she knew it was going to happen sooner or later. That her sister was sick and dying at the age of 50. Elsa wanted to be there as quickly as possible, taking huge steps towards the direction of where Anna was going to be sleeping for the rest of forever. The moment she arrived to the bedroom, she saw a glimpse of dirty blonde hair from the hallway. He was pacing between the double doors of the bedroom and the tall window across from it

Ansgar was walking through the hallways, pacing back and forth, clenching his dirty blonde hair in his hand as he held papers and documents in the other. The 25 year old man held such a worried look, and pain in his eyes as he paced close to the bedroom door of his ill and dying mother. Olaf accompanied had accompanied, walking alongside him, thinking to himself as the soon to be King was holding papers of her medicines. He was getting anxious and he knew he shouldn't. His mother was dying, and his father was soon going to be as well. Olaf could hear him talking and mumbling to himself, pacing around the same way Elsa would. Olaf followed the blonde haired prince as he turned back around to continue walking until he finally stopped pacing. Ansgar looked up from his documents to see a platinum haired and white dressed women walking right towards him. His eyes widened and his worries lessened at the sight of her and saw her run right into the prince's arms. "Aunt Elsa! It's-its good to see you" "Ansgar. I got your letter and came as quickly as I could...wow you've grown" Elsa stepped back from her tall nephew to look up at his blue-green eyes. His worried look gave out a relieved smile with a chuckle. "And you haven't changed a bit..literally..." "How long has it been since I've last seen you?" "Depending on the changes to the kingdom, 5 years? Where have been in that amount of time?" "I was- never mind about that" Elsa stepped away from her nephew to eye the painted doors before them. "Your mother, is she still alive?" Elsa gripped onto her nephew's uniform sleeve. "She is, but I don't know how she would be. Father is in another room, he's fine for now but he says he's going to retire...and soon I'll be crowned as King" Elsa smiled "And you will be a great king, I know you will" she kissed his cheek before walking into the bedroom door, where Anna was resting on her bed with her children by her bedside. Maja gasped at the sight of her aunt walking into the room, seeing her aunt unchanged from 5 years ago. "Elsa. Mother, please wake up, she's here to see you. Talk to her about your dream" Maja took Anna's hands in hers, rubbing them gently as Elsa went to her bedside, across from the two children. The spirit took a good look at her sister's old age and grey hairs, her crows feet and pale skin and her breathing was slow. There was a sense of loneliness, guilt and yet a hint of relief as her sister's eyes opened to reveal the same colored eyes. Elsa fought back tears as she looked up to her niece and nephew. "We would like to be alone" the two of them nodded, passed the bed and walked out of the door with their older brother.

After the door had fully closed, Ansgar and Maja could hear their aunt's muffled cries from the other side of the wall, surprised at how dramatic she could be with her sorrow, and turned their attention to Olaf, who was now silently looking out the window. The three children looked down, gloom was in their eyes as the muffled crying continued. Maja looked up at her older brother, and she could tell what was troubling his mind. "Ansgar? Everything is going to be fine. You know things like this happen all the time. Mother is going to be fine, she won't be here anymore, but she'll be in a better place. You don't have to carry all the burden alone. Me and Brean can help you. We still have each others back" Maja took her brother's hand in hers, and Ansgar squeezed it back tightly, now looking at Olaf. "Thank you, but that's not what I'm worried about" "Are you worried about Olaf? He's made out of Auntie's magic. He never worries about death, and he doesn't worry about it now, I'm sure he won't melt away" the elder brother sighed, still looking at Olaf who was now suddenly walking towards the window, blowing frost onto the pane and drawing patterns. His expression became very focused. "Olaf, what are you drawing on the window?" The youngest son asked, walking over to the snowman to see what he was doing. Brean gasped at his drawing, getting the other's attention to walk across the hall and see what the snowman was up too. He was drawing runes with a sun and moon and a tall tree right in between. "Those drawings are amazing Olaf, I didn't know you could draw like that" Brean awed at the runes and script he was spelling out. "I've been practicing in the library, reading books and reciting things" "What are you writing? I know it's a old form of Futhark, but I never knew you could write such an alphabet all these years" Maja stated, patting the snowman's head as Olaf chuckled. "Why thank you Maja" When Olaf was done, he backed away from the window and towards the three children with a smile on his face. "I heard Anna talk about this in her sleep two days ago. She was mumbling to me about remembering whatever she was saying. I decided to look through the secret room to find the exact words she was mumbling. It was apart of a Norse book"

"Wait" Ansgar took a step closer to the runes next to the icy picture. "I know what that says, mother always had a favorite for mythology" Olaf perked up "Oh Mythology! That was the term. Mythology! What does it say?" he asked with an innocently clueless look on his face. The three children glanced down at him confused. How does he not know what it says? Maybe he just remembered it now and didn't bother. "Well, the first part says Mani, Sol and Yggdrasil. I really don't see why you're writing a creation myth since Yggdrasil never existed in the first place" Maja turned to her older brother and hit him hard in the shoulder. "How can you say that?! This could be mother's last words for us! Maybe she wants us to know her dying wishes. We should go there ourselves. It could be real for all we know-" "May I remind you that no-one, not one single person had gone to the North Pole, despite what they say and where Ahtohallan is truly located-" "Well, older brother, we can talk to Auntie about this, she's been to Ahtohallan before. Maybe she knows that Yggdrasil is still-" "I don't think it's still there, or even alive" Olaf interrupted the two siblings from bickering to point at the tree and the two celestial lights on the window, the icy tree thawing from the sunlight of the spring, leaving the picture of the sun and moon behind. "I've heard Kristoff talk about it like a legend. That the magical world tree expanded from the center of the earth towards the end. It's branches and leaves covering and hiding the earth as if to protect it. We don't see that anymore and that it was cut down eons ago" Olaf looked up at the three with a saddened look. "Now what's left of the tree is the Auroras". Ansgar squinted his eyes to stare at the script below the Futhark runes. "Then what about the other script? I've never seen it before" Before Olaf could respond, the door of the bedroom opened and closed to reveal Elsa, looking down to the floor, and still holding the door handle behind her. 

The four turned to her and they all stood silent. They could feel the hallway getting colder and eventually seeing frost form by the doors and window behind them. The frost behind the four unknowingly fixed and refroze the frost of the images traced on the window. Elsa didn't look up to her niece and nephews, but only to the ground. That look was enough to tell the children and Olaf the news that Anna was officially gone from the world. She didn't back away from the doors, and the handle already frozen shut, the frost crept from her back and quickly expanded about the doors and eventually the wall. Olaf watched her sniff away a tear that eventually fell to the ground, froze in midair before it fell to the carpet. It was like she lost control over her gift and that this was a breaking point. Olaf himself felt another part of him torn away, but he still had that 2childish personalty with him. After a few silent minutes of standing across the hall from each other, Olaf was the first to walk towards Elsa, looking up at her and raising his arms for a hug. Eventually Elsa's concealed demeanor cracked and she slid down the door and into the snowman's arms. The three children ran towards her aid, all huddling with her as they cried and mourned for their mother's death. Anna's portrait was now veiled with a black cloth and a year later so was Kristoff's. 

[One Year Later]

Ansgar, Maja and Brean stood before the giant rune stone of King Kristoff, which was placed next to Queen Anna's rock. They stood in silence, as the rest of the castle staff and some villagers stood in black. Rain drizzling from the clouds as the three children stood side by side, not looking at one another with Olaf by Brean's side, holding the youngest prince's hand. Elsa took a few steps away from the group and stood by the oldest sibling, staring out at the rocks, then lifting her head up towards the misty and dark grey sky. The oldest sibling slowly turned his head from the ground towards his aunt. He saw her close her eyes and pray towards the sky as everyone was silent. "What are you doing?" He whispered to her, the rain droplets slowing down around her, freezing midway in the air like crystals and falling to the floor. She didn't look down to see her nephew. "Praying" "To who?" "To the High Spirit" Ansgar huffed as he turned his head back to the burial stones of his dead parents. "Is it a deity?" Elsa opened her eyes, still not looking down to neither the stones nor her nephew. "The Northuldra pray to the high spirit. It's in their culture and tradition. They believe spirits are guiding us throughout our lives, and that the souls of the dead go to a resting place beyond here. I'm praying that Anna and Kristoff have a safe journey to the afterlife..." She finally turned her head to her nephew. They were now staring at each other as the rain poured. "And I'm sure they will watch over you and so will I" Elsa smiled gently to Ansgar, who's eyes stung with fresh tears. He shook, fists clenched as he looked away from his aunt to the wet ground. "How can you be so sure? What if the afterlife isn't as grand as they say it is? What will happen to you after we all left this world-" "Whoa hey now, you're thinking way too fast" Elsa placed her hand under her nephew's chin, guiding his eyes to meet hers. "I won't be alone you know, I have still have a family to watch over. You don't need to worry about me or about the afterlife, just focus on you and the present. Soon, you'll be king and make this kingdom thrive" She whispered to him as the funeral was over and everyone behind them left the scene. 

Brean and Olaf turned to walk back to the castle, Maja turned around to join her little brother, leaving the two adults alone before the burial stones. Elsa lowered her hand from under Ansgar's chin to pat his shoulder. "But we still need you. I still need you here to..to at least know that you won't leave us and-" There was worry, strain and desperation in his eyes. He wasn't the same as he was 18 years ago and Elsa wondered what happened to that courage in his youth. "Ansgar, there are plenty of members to help you around the castle. I know you're a strong and brave man, and I know you're an excellent leader. Don't let the fear of being alone get to you. You have your siblings by your side and you won't be stuck in that little tower of yours forever" Elsa playfully poked his forehead with her index and middle finger, which was covered by the yet blonde bangs. Ansgar managed to smile from her playful action. "My little tower?" He rubbed his forehead as Elsa waved her hand towards the frozen water droplets, creating a small crystalline tower that resembled a tree trunk. "Your little tower of solitude that needs to thaw away with love. You're journey is only beginning King Ansgar" Elsa playfully curtsied to her nephew as she thawed the ice tower of droplets away. Ansgar chuckled as he bowed in response to her, enjoying the act. "Why thank you Auntie" "Now as first priority as King, I advise you to find yourself a consort" "But I haven't been crowned yet" "You will in time, but first-" Elsa wrapped her arm around her nephew as she led them away from the burial stones. "-we must find you a consort! And with Maja's help, it will be easy as melting frost!" Ansgar continued to smile at the doubt of finding love that easily. "Auntie I don't think love comes that easy" 

Elsa brushed him off "Nonsense, I've heard Maja had three boyfriends in her teens, or was it four? We'll help you find plenty of consorts in no time. Starting tomorrow" "Are we going to ask the 'love experts' for help?" "If it makes the search any better, why not?" The older prince huffed, shaking his head as he was being dragged back to the village, seeing the statue of his grandparents still standing. "Auntie, can I ask you something?" He stopped her from going into the castle, it was till raining where they stood. Elsa turned herself around "What is it?" Ansgar stood quiet, looking up at his grandparent's statue then back to his aunt, remembering from last year. "I..I was wondering about your life as a spirit...how did you become a spirit anyway? Mother has told me that you and her are both half Saami, but that doesn't really matter to me now. I'm still wondering who you really are Auntie. I'm not as curious as Maja but...last year when mother died. Olaf frosted the window pane and drew the last words of Mother in her sleep" Elsa blinked, a few feet away from her nephew now, and glanced at the statue before looking at her hands. She stayed silent as she scanned them. "What were they?" "It was. It was about the legend. The creation myth?" "What type of creation myth?" "He wrote it in Futhark, but he also wrote it in another language I didn't understand, but it had to deal with Yggdrasil. The world tree and the deities of the luminaries" Ansgar chuckled, rubbing his yet hair behind his neck. "O-of course, Maja or Olaf probably told you this after Mother's funeral, but I just wondered if you knew if it's real or not. Since you live. Well you live in a magical forest full of spirits and I'm just a stubborn human that lives in a kingdom..." 

The sound of the rain beating down unto the cobblestone square was louder than Elsa's roaming thoughts on Anna's dying words to her. Anna had told her about a vision in her sleep about the fate of Ahtohallan and a titanic tree being cut down with a mourning star. It had been 2 minutes before Ansgar took a step closer to his aunt "Auntie? Do you know if it's real or anything at all?" Elsa blinked, coming back to the present moment. She shook her head to wake herself up from thinking about it, but Ansgar thought she didn't know. "Oh, you don't know?" "No No. Anna told me the same thing! About a titanic tree and Ahtohallan. Why do you ask?" "Well, if she told you about that myth, I was just wondering if you've ever been to...uh...to where the world tree was before? *sigh* I'm sorry asking such stupid questions. I-I'm not really one to believe any of this stuff d-despite you being all magic and father having magical trolls for family a-and-" Elsa took a step closer to to see her nephew shivering from being the rain for too long. "Ansgar your gonna get a cold, let's get you inside, and they're not stupid questions" The spirit carefully placed her hands onto the prince's arms, who flinched from her cold contact and sneezed as a result. "Oh, I'm sorry. didn't mean to keep you cold" She smiled with a little worry on her face as Ansgar shrugged his shoulders. "I-it's fine. Didn't expect it to be raining this hard" they both started to run back to the castle, Elsa creating a shield of ice over both of their heads to block them from the rain. 

As the door of the castle slammed closed by the guards, Elsa quickly took a blanket from the staff and wrapped it around the Ansgar, making sure he was wrapped tightly like a burrito as he held himself. She whipped the rain away from his hair, making it as dry as possible, and creating a little icy memory of his last time being drenched in the rain. It was a statue of him carrying a spear from the armory, showing off when it suddenly rained harder than expected. "Hm. That was a few years ago...at the fjord. You weren't here to see that embarrassment" Ansgar mumbled as he lowered his neck, glancing away from the memory and an amused Elsa. "Oh really? Why is it embarrassing?" "I tried impressing a maiden and it failed horribly and-stop smiling like that!" He closed his eyes, a blush on his cheeks. "Oh I'm not smiling" That was clearly a lie. "Yes you are, Maja couldn't keep her excitement and taunting in for days. Ugh she kept talking about my...attraction on the girl until I gave her a piece of my mind" Ansgar ignored his aunt's amused look as he walked passed her and grabbing another towel to clean his face. "Oh really? And what was that?" Ansgar placed the face towel away, and walked up the stairs, Elsa following behind him. "In these words, Maja says: 'Oh my stars, you must marry her and make her your queen right away! You two look so perfect together. It's true love!' And I replied: 'Maja! I can't marry a woman I just met!' And mind you this was when we both met the fair maiden at the bakery" 

Elsa couldn't hold in her laughter, rolling over as one hand held tightly to the hand rail and the other covering her face. Ansgar chuckled with her as he continued up the steps. "What did you do after that?" "Walked away in a blushing embarrassment" "You are _definitely_ my favorite nephew" The prince grinned wider as he turned around to face his hunched over aunt. "Took you a while to realize. Did the same happen to you too?" Elsa calmed herself down, wiping a tear from her eye as she continued up the steps. "Well, no, but I said the exact same words to your mother when I was your age" "So why decide for me to find a consort starting tomorrow?" "In a way, every king needs a queen. Usually to say you're half of a rib cage, and your partner is the other half and together it supports the human body to function" "So more like a support system?" "Yes. A support system based on traditional human love" Ansgar smiled with a nod as they reached the top of the second floor. "So what about you when you were queen? Did you get a consort?" "No, it just didn't seem to work out for me, being queen that is. It was only three years before I handed over the throne and I was destined to be...well...this" Elsa stopped at the top of the stairs, gesturing to herself and her ice magic. Ansgar nodded "Do you ever want to be back on the throne?" She shook her head with an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry if that crushed some of your hope of letting me come back" "No, no it's alright...I can handle it" The two walked through the wooden hall silently before Asngar spoke again. 

"Auntie" "Yes?" "Before you arrived, Mother told me about the books in the secret room. The council does know about it, but I'm getting worried that those books of spells have powers that grandmother didn't know about before. It has such valuable information and the monarchy are, you know, power hungry. Mother had this feeling in her gut that the empires are suspicious about our history and suspect that we have occult knowledge that they greed. Mother says that they have a plan in the far future to get rid of the secret chambers and either burn the books or take them for themselves. And I...I don't know who to trust when I go into that meeting" They stopped in the middle of the hallway. "I don't know how far in the future mother envisioned but" Blue-green eyes trailed down to the wooden floor, worry and uncertainty on his face. He glanced towards Elsa. "I'm worried of what they might think of you and worse. I've met some princes and kings from Europe already, mainly from England and Wales, and they already knew about who you are from the council. I know that you now live in the forest and away from civilization, but you have a power to reveal memories of the past through freezing water...a unique and possibly valuable power that monarchies want. You might even have more powers than what you showed me, but *sigh* I'm just worried about you" Elsa nodded at this new information, placing both hands over his towel covered shoulders with a firm and reassuring look. "They're not going to get me, and they're not going to use me for anything. I'll make sure of that no greedy king or organization is going to catch me. You need to believe in me on that"

Ansgar looked down to the wooden floor then back up to her icy blue eyes. "Alright. I believe you" "Good" Elsa patted his shoulders again before taking his hand and guiding him towards his bedroom. "Now a king needs to have his beauty rest before you woo the ladies!" Ansgar's laugh echoed through the hallway. "Maybe you should go find someone to woo _you_ off your feet" She continued to laugh in response "I doubt I can find such a person. Now get to bed" she pushed him gently into his bedroom, but before she close the door, Ansgar kissed her forehead and gave a reassuring smile to her. "With your beauty I'm sure you will. Well Godspeed on your journey for that" he saluted towards her "Just go to bed your highness" she playfully rolled her eyes and closed the door before her. When she was alone in the hall, her playful attitude changed to a focused expression. She turned away from the door and headed towards the library and eventually to the secret chamber.

* * *

[Enchanted Forest. Norway]

[January 1st, 2028] 

Elsa took a breath, carrying the unconscious winter spirit over her shoulders as she took a step into the familiar forest of her home. She took a few more steps away from the beach, feeling the spring grass below her feet, and fell to her knees and let Jack slip from her back and land on the grass. They were both winded from the travel path that Mother Nature took to get away from the frightening demonic sea serpent. The deity watched the fire spirit run around excitedly towards Elsa, who smiled at the lovely greeting. "Oh. Bruni!... How long has it been since I've seen you? It didn't feel that long...right?" She looked down to her companion in her hands who made a delighted sound and wiggled around in her cold hands. She chuckled "Aha, I missed you too" She heard another tweet from behind her and turned her head to see the little fairy from the ice memory. The little creature that was with Jack's side was now worried about him, hovering over and around him, tweeting and chirping to him in panic. His eyes were still closed, his face pale as ever but she didn't really know if his pigment was like this all the time. Mother Nature walked over to the two ice spirits and dropped the staff next to her. "You can have this for now until he wakes up. You're going to need it" Elsa managed to get herself up, holding both Bruni and the staff in hand, Jack's brown cape tied around her neck as she watched the deity walk towards the Atlantic ocean. Her footsteps trailing grass and her feet camouflaging into the sands of the beach. "W-wait! Mother Nature...until he wakes up?" "Relax your little woes snow queen, prince charming isn't dead. He's just in a deep sleep..." green eyes turned to see Jack on the ground, lifeless as he could be with the little tooth fairy swarming over his face. "...or at least preoccupied with an old friend" she whispered the last words, her eyes narrowed at the spirit's hands and feet. Elsa took a step closer to Mother Nature, admiring her as she waved her hand towards the sea water, freezing it instantly to help the horned Ice bear walk across the water. She spun her fingers upwards to make a snow cloud over the bear's head. "Creative guy he is, but I'm sure you want some more snow in the spring, his creations don't really last that long" Elsa stood quite, awing at her power over the elements, gripping the staff tighter in her hand. "Wait. What do you mean I'm going to need it? D-do you know what happened to my-" Elsa's question was interrupted when she saw snow falling from the sky towards the ground of the spring forest. 

Snow. It was snowing in the spring? Wait has the fog kept the forest in the spring season? Oh no her family! She started to turn herself to rush back into the forest when she remembered the unconscious Jack still lying on the ground. She turned back around to see Mother Nature by the water, looking back at her. "Thank you for your help. If there is anything I can do to repay you" Mother Nature smiled to her as the sun appeared over the sky. "Just keep an eye on him alright, he's a bit of mischievous fun for a counterpart" she winked at Elsa who raised an eyebrow "A counterpart?" "Your other half" with that she watched the deity fuse herself into the sands of the beach leaving nothing but a trail of melted snow behind. Elsa turned her direction to Jack, who was being pulled by hood from the little fairy. She watched the little fairy continue to drag him across the grass, or try to before she stopped after moving him one inch from his current spot. "You don't have to do that. You can rest on my shoulder if you want" Elsa knelt herself before the winter spirit and let the little fairy sit on her shoulder as it squeaked with delight. The ice bear laid down on the other side of it's creator, nudging him with it's snout as he managed to turn him over and let his cold body land on her knees. Elsa glanced up in question of what the bear was suggesting her to do, but those magical blue eyes only stared at the it's creator as a cloud of snow went floated over his head. More snow fell to the ground, gradually covering the spring grass or what was left of it in the enchanted forest. Her head roamed around, her eyes seeing the dense fog of ice crystals vanished and was replaced with a starry night sky. "The fog lifted...*sigh* I guess the fog wasn't from my own hands" She whispered, now glancing down to the sleeping spirit on her lap. It was so quiet between them that the only noises were the clashing of the waves and the howls of the wind.

Still holding his staff, she smirked at the cause of what was happening and how much she missed, wondering if anyone was still alive. Closing her eyes from letting the sting of tears blurry her vision, she shook her head furiously. "No no no. Think positive thoughts Elsa. People come and go, that's apart of the cycle of life. Get get over yourself and move on." What surprised both Bruni and Baby Tooth was the sudden action Elsa slapping herself in the face. "They're still there in the afterlife. It's not the end of the world. You're strong, just get yourself up. We're going to the camp and you can think all you want" She told herself as the horned bear watched her carefully pick Jack up in her arms, lifting herself off of the ground and walking up the hill through the snow covered flowers with a look of determination. The horned bear followed after her, who thought it was a better idea to carry him on her own then to use his creation or the water spirit for help. When Elsa was far away from the beach and walking past the wreckage ship, she saw Bruni crawl down from her shoulder and towards the trail of wind that held both spring flowers and ice crystals. Her eyes perked up at the sight the wind spirit, who twirled around the salamander before doing the same to Elsa and Jack. She couldn't help the smile on her face as Gale blew through her hair before taking the wooden staff from her hand. "Thank you Gale. It's great to see you too...yes I'm fine, but I don't know about him" she gestured to the man in her arms and Gale slipped through the spirit's clothes before heading back into the forest, hinting that she should follow the spirit. Elsa did just that, following Gale and Bruni back to the campsite with the giant ice bear in tow. 

After a couple of hours of walking through the forest, passing boulders and rusted debris, the spirits finally arrived to the Northuldra tribe. The vanishing of the dense mist unveiled the warriors bandaged and collecting items in their hands. The tents were there but there were more civilization in the north then she remembered. Snow continued to fall and cover the trails of war and bloodshed from years ago. Luckily she nor the 30 foot bear behind her hasn't been spotted by war soldiers in the direction she was traveling. Elsa widened her eyes, still carrying Jack in her arms when she saw the tribesmen walking out of their tents and looking up at the now see-able night sky. More children came out of their tents with a look of awe as they looked up and around them. They all were quiet when they admired the starry sky above them. Elsa watched in silence as the children suddenly noticed snow falling and landing on the dirt and grass before them. Eyes and smiles widened at the sight of the blanket of white and Elsa could tell that joy instantly filled their hearts as they ran into the snow. The spirit let her tears cascade down her cheeks as she felt herself shiver at the joyful and laughter the children had at the sight of snow. They didn't bother to pay any attention to her when they were preoccupied with the chance of seeing snow again, throwing snowballs, burying themselves in the white weather and making snowmen of their own. She looked behind her to see the giant bear stay in it's place, hiding itself in trees despite it being as tall or even taller than the trees themselves. Bruni and Gale didn't bother to hide themselves and whisked their way towards the children as Elsa placed Jack down against the body of his creation. "I'll let him rest here" the bear watched her walk into the campsite.

All the huts were still there yet she felt tremendous guilt in her chest as she stared at the huts and campfire before her. She didn't mean too, she left them there with the enemy and ran away like she always would. She shook her head to stop herself from negative thoughts. This wasn't her fault. Wasn't her fault...it never was. She kept repeating this to herself until someone came out of their hut with a gasp. Elsa opened her eyes and turned to the gasp to see a mother with her child in hand, staring directly at Elsa as did the child. "F-fifth spirit-your-the fog has lifted" The mother turned her attention to sky and the surrounding woods around her as snow continued to fall. Said women huffed, her hands held together against her chest. "Yes. It's me..I-I'm sorry. I'm terribly sorry for-" her voice began to crack as she apologized, remembering what she had done was fresh in memory. The child next to her smiled, letting go of his mother's hand and taking out a doll made out of ice and in the shape a snowman wearing a top hat. The child went up to her, showing her the ice doll in his hand. "Thank you for gift!" She blinked at the doll in his hand, where did he get that from? "A-a gift? But I didn't make that" The child held it tightly towards his chest "Really? Then who did? It's got to be you, or was it wind spirit?" Elsa saw the little boy look over to find the wind spirit and saw the other kids playing in the snow and decided to join the others. 

Elsa and the women stared at each other from a distance before the women went to another tent. "I need to tell this to the chieftain!" She opened the door to the hut, revealing a cozy warmth of a home inside. She didn't know if she should walk inside with the women or wait out by the fireplace, but it wasn't long until the women walked out with an elder carrying a staff in her hand. The elder's face held signs of old age, old age she herself had never experienced, and her back slouched as if aching. Elsa didn't remember who she was, she couldn't put her finger on her facial features but the elderly women's eyes widened. She too shook at the sight of the fifth spirit before her "...Hi. It's been..a while hasn't it?" and quickly ran to her, her old hands gripping the spirit's shoulders, tears stinging in her eyes. "He brought you back...oh bless the high spirit!" Elsa felt the chieftess embrace her tightly. Elsa gently rubbed her arched back and returned the hug. "Yes he did...and I'm terribly sorry for what I did to all of you. Please forgive me, please. i may not be the perfect guardian to all of you but I never meant to leave you all behind" Elsa stepped back from the elder, bowing towards her with the look of guilt. "You don't need to bow, we just reside in this forest, we are not higher than you. You have a divine purpose, and if Ahtohallan says you must do what you need to do, then you don't need to worry about us, but I'm overjoyed that you're home and that's all that matters to me" Elsa's guilt didn't waver when she stood herself back up, looking into the elder's old eyes. "Ahtohallan...Ahtohallan is destroyed, forever. Mother is gone and so is my magic" She glanced down at her hands, waving them and moving them about the snow. Nothing happened, no structure, no snowmen, nothing moved in the pile of snow by her side. Her magic was there before but now all she could feel inside her body was coldness. Taking the last sources of magic from the icebergs weren't enough, yet using Jack's staff had helped her out. She knows that her magic couldn't be gone or erased forever from her life. It had to be dormant somewhere in her soul. It was what defined her. The elder and the women's eyes widened in shock of what the fifth spirit was doing and the result of what she was trying to do. Elsa only looked at her hands, there was only small bits of magic within her but it was just to keep her going for a bit. "Ahtohallan is destroyed? Well it's natural isn't it? For glaciers to thaw away" The women asked and Elsa shook her head. "No. That's not it. Something destroyed it on purpose..much more bigger than the earth giants themselves..and I don't know what it wants" 

The elder nodded and hummed to herself before taking her cold hand in hers. "But you aren't apart of it are you?" "It's the source of all magic but it only affected me, no other spirit here..except for Jack" She held herself, seeing Gale had dropped the staff next to her before going back to the children. Elsa bent down to take the wooden crooked staff in her hand, seeing frost coated around it like spirals, a small glow of icy blue could be seen in the area she touched it. "The winter spirit? Oh yes him. Where is he? What happened to him?" The chieftain asked, looking around the area for any sign of the white haired spirit. "Jack's on ground, sleeping... or so Mother Nature says" Elsa turned her head to the direction of where she placed him. "Mother Nature? You talked to Mother Nature herself?" Both women awed at the news as Elsa nodded. "Personally, she helped us find another way back to the forest" "What a privilege" Elsa just nodded "If it's alright that I can borrow a tent with a bed? It's not for me but for Jack" "Isn't he a wandering spirit? He didn't look like he needed to sleep in a bed" The mother asked "I still think he needs some kind of warmth, despite being freezing cold. It doesn't have to be a local tent, it could be an old one that no one uses anymore" The younger women sighed as she walked past the two and to clean inside of an old tent. 

Elsa and the chieftain were left alone in the camp. "So where is he?" "A little ways away from the camp, he has...a friend with him" Elsa lead the way as the elder followed her away from the camp and towards the trees. When they arrived, the elder was amused by the height and sight of the this icy creature with a glowing horn. "Hmm. I remember that bear" "What do you mean?" Elsa looked back to the elder as she walked towards the unconscious guardian. "It's the same story wasn't it? When the bear is actually a king. Otso wasn't it?" "I. I don't remember the story about a king turning into a bear" She handed the staff to the elder as she picked Jack up in her arms again and watched her walk back to the campsite. "It was the story you told to my mother, I forgot most of the tale but it had a frozen heart with it" Elsa nodded as she went inside the old tent to see it was mostly empty but held this comfort to it. She gently placed him on the bed, his head over a small pillow and a thin blanket over his body. Elsa sighed as she scanned his facial features yet again and placing a hand over his overhead. He wasn't sick, just sleeping, he wasn't dead. The little fairy chirped to get Elsa's attention, who didn't release her hand from his forehead, and flew over to his uniform pockets, poking at the pocket and gesturing her to look inside it. "you wan't me to look in his pocket? Is it the box?" Baby Tooth nodded and Elsa unzipped his pocket and took out the golden memory box with her baby picture on it. She watched the fairy perch herself on the edge of the box, patting the green and blue diamonds. "You want me to open it? Wait is it okay if I can?" the fairy nodded to her yet Elsa wasn't sure yet. What was this box even for? Where did it even come from? Behind her, the door of the tent opened revealing the elder with snow falling behind her "Do you know what Ahtohallan did to the spirit?" Elsa turned to her "I..don't know, but I do want to talk to you privately, if that's alright" The chieftain nodded, "I'll be in my tent then" moving away from the door to go back to her own. Baby Tooth chirped, getting her attention on the golden box. "I'll go look at it later, I just want to figure something out okay?" Baby Tooth nodded again and flew by her side, perching on her shoulder as Elsa placed the golden box down by the winter spirit and walked out of the tent. 

Arriving to the chieftain's tent, she opened the door to see the inside decorated with many paintings, bones and drums more than the last time she was invited. She opened the door further to see a low table and the elder sitting by the table, her staff against the wooden wall. Old eyes opened to see Elsa by the door and gestured her to come further inside. Once the door was closed, Elsa took notice of the drum on the wall with it's three layers of the world before she stood in front of elder. "So what do you want to talk about?" "It's about Jack. You said he brought me back and I was wondering if you met him personally then he can get past the fog. I don't understand it. No one could get in or out, that the fog has it's own conscious and is a barrier to protect all of you. If one human gets through the fog then it's not secure" Elsa sat herself down on the carpet before the elder. "But Jack isn't human is he?" "Maybe not but...*sigh* I'm just worried about those soldiers and how many are left of you" "It's alright Elsa, you did what you needed to do. The spirits here are fighting back for us, you made sure of it" "...They were all coming after me, maybe for my ability but there was this sudden urge to run from them. That they weren't human at all, like they were being programmed and their eyes..." She glanced away to look at the drum on the wall, the memory was fresh in her mind as if it was two days ago and shook her head lightly, her eyes back on the chieftain, her hand rubbing her arm. "I told Jack about where you were and that we couldn't get there by ourselves, the water spirit was furious and angry for a reason we do not know. We did pray to the high spirit for a sign of hope and a way to release the fog, and the fog has lifted because of him" The elder turned her head to the noadi drum on the wall. "But, we didn't know that he would come here 2 generations late. He told me that the wind spirit brought him here recently, and I believe it was Ahtohallan who commanded the action. Not the glacier itself but the spirit inside of it. It is a legend to us all of what Ahtohallan truly is, and why you are so connected to it". Elsa looked down to her interlaced fingers on her lap, biting her lip as silence grew between them.

"You seemed troubled" "I am. Me and that glacier are connected through spirit and if it's lost then I'm...lost. All of that ancient knowledge is lost. All that history and all those truths can never be found again, and if I'm being targeted by war criminals then..." the chieftain saw Elsa rub her temples, arching her back to let her hair touch the carpet. "Tell me Elsa, why does that matter to you? You fled to Ahtohallan during the war and being targeted for what?" "Knowledge, to reveal history and probably use ancient magic as a weapon. Use me as a weapon and a tool. That's what I feared besides loosing you and the source of my magic....and now it's come to life" Elsa took another breath and looked up at the elder to straighten herself. "And I wanted to know if you knew anything about what's going on" the elder shook her head in response "No, sadly I don't have all of the answers. It's far from our reach and we only listen to what the spirits want and need from us, but I did tell Jack before his departure that you were trapped inside Ahtohallan through the shamanic act. That's what I speculated for years and we could only trust ourselves" Elsa sighed "I didn't trap myself inside. I was hoping for a cure and an answer for what went into my lungs at the time. I was getting ill and I looked as if I was going to die again, but Ahtohallan saved me. It's spirit saved me. I saw a blinding light and a figure of a tall man. He said this world is not meant for you to save, there is another. I couldn't remember a single thing. It felt like a week has gone by but Jack said it's been 84 years" "It has" the elder nodded "And a lot has changed hasn't it?" She covered her face with her hand "Now I'm not sure of what to do" "Well, you could start by helping us clean most of the mess from the war. I'm sure you're capable of doing that" Elsa stood herself up "And the earth giants could stop being so cranky when they finally see you" and helped the old chieftain up from the floor with a chuckle "I'm sure they would love to see me"

One week and two days later in the forest and Jack still hasn't woken up from his sleep. No one was curious or concerned of where he was or what happened to him. The children were preoccupied with getting Elsa to play with them with her snow powers, but she politely declined the offer and told them to play with the Gale or Bruni instead. The other Northuldrans were hesitant if they could still venture far out of the woods or visit a town near there forest. They were still scared about any left over military still wandering around with death in their mind. Elsa did journey off but not too far to take out and pinpoint any ground explosives still left. She's seen plenty more boulders than necessary and crashed metal machines covered in vegetation and rust. The snow continued to fall, covering what could be left of the war, and making the scenery look better than it did years ago. Elsa arrived at a cliff side of the waterfall, looking out at the scenery. She missed out on so much yet she had this relief that she wasn't apart of it at all. Huffing out, her breath unseen in the frosty crisp weather, she turned herself around towards the entrance of the forest. She couldn't could she? Just leave and see how the city was doing and come back? Maybe she could ask Nokk or Gale for a ride. Elsa shook her head. "No no. I can't do that. What if they still know about me? Still targeting me...you know what? Let's go back to the camp and check how Jack is doing" she walked towards the cliff side, waving her hand and expecting a slide of ice going down the cliff or even freezing the waterfall. Yet nothing happened and nothing froze to her feet. Looking at her palm again, seeing the icy blue of her palm lightly fade away from her. She flicked her wrist again and again towards the waterfall and finally grunted in frustration. "Why...why did you take it away from me? You gave me this magic and let me live..." she turned her head to the sky of clouds and a sun peaking through it. "You could've taken me away to where you were" she continued to stare up at the rays peaking out of the clouds then turned her attention down to see an earth giant lend its hand towards the cliff. What was she even saying? Stay where the spirit was when her home was right here. This is her duty as the fifth spirit, to be a balance. Taking another deep breath, a smile crept up on her face as she took a few steps into the giant's palm, who carried her away and back towards the camp.

_Not....different... Something....wrong..._

"Something wrong? Is it wrong for me to loose my magic?" The earth giant shook his head, letting snow fall into his palm. "So its not wrong that I do loose my magic, thus I'm still qualified as being the fifth spirit to you... right? That you can still sense my magic somewhere even though its...wrong?" Elsa raised her own eyebrow, confusing herself on what the earth giant meant and tapped her chin "Wait but if you accept me without magic then what was the magic for anyway? Why choose me than anyone else? Well of course its my parents sacrificing themselves but you've seen what I did 80 years ago. I ran like a-" she stopped talking when the earth giant was just...looking at her like she didn't get the point of what he was infuring. "Sorry. I guess that's not where you were going with this" she rubbed her arm and glanced away to see the camp ahead of them. "So what's wrong?" The giant continued to communicate with her.

_...Beast destroyed temple...is not source...of all magic....going after... frost spirit..._

"Frost spirit? The sea serpent I encountered was after Jack? But how can it know Jack when its set free a week ago? Wait how old is he anyway?" The earth giant shrugged as he stopped in front of the campsite.

_Frost spirit controlled us once... he not from here... magic felt from another realm...Very very old. Old as tree of world..._

The giant's hand lowered to the ground and Elsa bowed to the giant before walking off. It's hand lifted from the snow and he walked off before she could ask anything else. Close to where Jack's tent was, she went ahead and opened the door to see the white haired man was still unconscious and the fairy was still him. His staff leaning against the wall, untouched by anyone but her, his cape folded neatly next to the golden box that was still unopened. She slowly walked inside of the tent and took hold of his staff, feeling ice magic swirling like it had been stored inside, before walking up to the winter spirit. Another sigh escaped her lips as she scanned his face again, and then the staff. Thinking of how old he really was, who he really was and why should need this so badly like a crutch. The whole tent became silent with only the both of them. Elsa placed her cold hand over his forehead once again, hoping that maybe she could wake him up somehow or even find a way to-

"It's been a week hasn't it?"

She jumped and in defense, she armed the staff and turned around to point it at an old man standing by the door, his hands behind his back. She quickly lowered the staff and fixed herself. "Uh-yes yes it has" the old man chuckled to himself as he walked inside the tent and past the fifth spirit, standing in front of the unconscious one. "Sorry for scaring you, I didn't know you two were having a moment" "We-we were not having a moment" Elsa took a step beside the old man quickly defending herself, clutching the staff with both hands. "For a sleeping spirit, you sure worry about him, coming here every afternoon" "Well of course I do, he's a wandering spirit and I am a balance between them. So it's logical that I am responsible and should care for every spirit that comes here" he continued to chuckle to himself. "That's not what I meant, but I understand that. Yet every spirit doesn't need this type of comfort. You slept outside and you were royalty if my memory serves me right!" He continued to chuckle to himself as Elsa pouted "It's not that bad, Ahtohallan sent him here and so I just wanted to treat him with something welcoming" "Hehe, sure you do. But you don't need to worry about him, he'll wake up eventually. Also, what do you do when you come in here to visit him?" Elsa gripped the staff tighter and closed her eyes. "Its between me and him" the old man nodded, his smile still plastered on his face. "Ah. I see. Lovers and their privacy" Elsa's eyes widened and turned her head to him. "W-we are NOT lovers! W-what made you think that we are?! We barely know each other!" The old man resulted with a laugh, enjoying himself as he teased the spirit. "Ahaha, I'm just messing with you" he patted her bare back "but if you aren't lovers than what would two you be?" Elsa stared at Jack's sleeping expression. He looked slightly the same as the years before, unchanged and yet his magic and himself was much older than she thought. He was powerful and Mother Nature knew of him and she asked to keep an eye on him. "...the other half of a rib cage?" Old eyes widened and nodded, trying to understand. "A rib cage? That's new. Oh how it would be nice to be young again" Elsa watched the old man turn around and walk back towards the door. "Care to join us for berry stew?" "Oh uh, but its snowing" "We'll eat inside" Elsa glanced down to the staff and then back at the old man. "I was planning to do something else but thank you. I'm not hungry" "Hmm. Well it'll still be there if you change your mind" Elsa watched the old man close the door before her. They were alone again.

Elsa turned herself back to the winter spirit and huffed "Honestly what is with people these days? Wanting me to have a boyfriend...I mean I never got a crush in my life! Let alone an entire 200 years without one..." Elsa widened her eyes and massaged her forehead. "Two hundred years. Oh my god. Its been that long and I'm still alive?! Humans don't live for 200 years!" She lowered her head to the ground, then heard the chirping of the little fairy perched on the golden box. "200 hundred years without a crush, or knowing the stupid feeling, my god I feel like missing out on life. I mean I've seen the natives be in love and how they act, getting together and creating families. I know what love is but..." Elsa's attention went from the fairy back to the spirit before her, her hand resting on the edge of the bed as her hair tickled his skin. Her eyes directly over his. "...romance? I've never felt that in my life. Not with anyone, maybe not with him" Baby Tooth watched her place her hand over her heart, closed her eyes to open it again and huffed. "Why can't I feel anything? Forget it" She stood herself up straight with the staff and headed out the door. In which Baby Tooth chirped and quickly left Jack and go towards Elsa before the door would fully close.

It was night, and the Northuldra were sound asleep and at peace as they could ever be. The night starry sky twinkled overhead and the Auroras continued to shine and flow through the darkness, shining it's ever green glow like a dragon. Elsa was alone, a little deeper in the woods with the company of the ice bear, Bruni and baby tooth. They watched her in silence as she continued to bash and hit a thick tree, a boulder and trying to freeze a waterfall repeatedly. Thrusting the staff again and again, hitting the same tree in different spots as if it was a practice dummy. For backup in case her powers weren't useful, she would practice fighting with a spear like the Northuldra would. Yet this wasn't a spear and her powers still weren't active. The staff held ice magic, but it wasn't enough and she stopped to wonder if Ahtohallan purposely took her powers away and she has to use this weapon of choice. Twirling the staff was easy, making tricks with it was actually fun to do and a little hard, but it was fun. That's what was important, the fun. She should be having fun but now she's getting worried, worried of what will she do now and where she would go. Her mind kept going places when she continued to hit, smack and slightly freeze the already frosted tree. Bruni and the ice bear backed away slowly from Elsa's sudden inner turmoil. The glow of ice magic returned go light up the staff and make an even bigger blow towards the tree, almost taking it out from the ground. She blasted again and again, her anger replacing fear within her of loosing her identity and who she was. She couldn't get the image out of her head: yellow eyes, screaming terribly, shooting them, killing them.

Her people, her family. They had to pay, but they're all dead. Where is she going to now? How will she protect them now? It's their fault. That her magic is lost. It's their fault. That her people are dead. Its their fault. That she was forced to run.

It was their fault. That Ahtohallan, her home, is gone.

For a few seconds her own eyes were a spark of yellow and her skin a tint of blue before from utter frustration. she twirled and thrashed as much power as possible towards her target. Staff drifting through the snow with a sudden burst of light covered the surrounding area, they all couldn't see but hear the huge and multiple crashes of trees and boulders fly about through the mist. A blinding light and incredible power forced her to be flung back to the ground. Not a moment later everything was silent and the mist from the snow revealed an ice tunnel full of spires and spikes, glowing like stars but toppled a decent amount of trees. It was bigger than the 13 foot bear, and probably destroyed most of the forest, but it was such a powerful blow. Elsa's eyes widened at what she just did, and stared at the staff in her hand, carefully seeing that it was pulsating and glowing in a spiral of white light instead of ice magic with blue diamond shaped rime frost covered all over it. The pulsating stopped and the rime frost thawed away. It was just a crooked branch again. Elsa took a few breaths before talking "Did I...do that? With anger? It-it comes out with emotion? Or" she slowly got herself up to admire what she just accomplished with a little bit of glacier magic. Yet it wasn't glacier magic at all. It looked different, felt otherworldly and so... "heavenly. It felt so good to get that out" she patted her own chest and huffed in before walking towards the creatures. "Are you alright? I'm so sorry for what I did" Elsa picked up the shivering fairy from a pile of snow and placed her on her shoulder. "I'm sorry to keep you cold like this" the fairy responded with a sneeze and Elsa giggled before looking for Bruni. "Bruni? Bruni? Come on your not hard to find. Ah there you are" Elsa looked up to see he was on a tree, clawed to the bark and eyes shot out of fear. "Bruni come on down, the blast wasn't that scary. I apologize for scaring you with my anger" Elsa opened out her palm towards the salamander and he glanced down to see such a kind and warm gesture. Eventually Bruni climbed down from the tree into her palm with a smile. "See? We've been together for 200 years and you're afraid of a little staff magic? Okay maybe it was quite different from my own but its still me and I'm bot going to hurt you" she continued to to walk through the forest, seeing the bear still intact and walking beside her back towards the camp, hoping that no one noticed what she done some miles away.

Though when she arrived at the camp, she hadn't really expected a glowing light inside of Jack's tent. A glowing light that reminded her of his fate in Ahtohallan. She quickly began to worry and ran to the tent, opening the door to see Jack himself glow as bright as any light in the dark, his skin as icy blue as ever and it made her worry and dying to know what was happening. Ahtohallan wasn't here but he was still glowing, his expression pained. Yet she went over to him, not minding the bright blinding light engulfing them both to uncover the blanket and see only his skin glowing blue. In a quick maneuver, she unzipped and took off his jacket to see that, yes it was only is akin glowing blue and- WOW touching his skin burns like ice but why would that hurt? She couldn't be bothered by it yet it burned. She could see frost was covering his entire body as he continued to glow. She saw rime and hoer frost appear to quickly cover and freeze his skin and hair. He was getting colder and colder and she had no idea of what was going on with him. Maybe, maybe he was dreaming of something? Was it that memory from before? A knight in armor kneeling down to a king. The knight had to leave the king in order for him to live? Yes, that was it. That could be a deep memory he didn't know about, and he was reacting to it in.. in such a strange way she didn't know about, nor what Ahtohallan had told her. The frost and ice kept forming and swirling around his body, his skin glowing and turning more blue as if cutting off blood circulation. She feared he was going to die but she knew it wasn't possibly at the least, she just didn't want him to be in so much pain. She had a thought of stopping it by thawing it away but...she never felt so powerless in her life. Knowing she couldn't do anything at all in this state, and if she used the staff...well she didn't know at all, maybe transfer the magic inside, but its too small for any of what Jack is going through.

Elsa moved her hands over his chest, wincing at this pain as she could transfer his ice magic with her, like how two ice sheets come together or water flowing from one river to the next. From one ice spirit to the next. She could feel how utterly cold he was and how slow his heart was beating, it was like he was beginning to freeze and become frozen himself. She closed her eyes and concentrated, begging for him to stop and for her to get some type of magic within her. She couldn't live without it. Her magic. It was always apart of her and she wasn't ready to give it up after 200 years. You could even say she was addicted to it. "Please, Jack please. Wake up, Thaw it away. Just-just thaw it away. You've done this countless of times, its easy" Elsa told herself as she could feel the magic go through her like lightning strikes, but she wasn't thawing it away. She opened her eyes to see he was still going to freeze and frost covered his body more quickly. She closed her eyes again and told herself the same thing "thaw it, melt it away. Damn it Elsa do som-mm!"

Before she could finish, a cold hand took by the back of head, and brought her closer to him. Elsa opened her eyes to see her lips on top his own. His hand over her head and his own eyes still closed as if he was still dreaming. Everything around her slowed down and all she could focus on was her own heartbeat and the kiss. Jack. Jack was kissing her. He was kissing her! And he was still asleep! Her mind was so focused on what was happening in that moment that Jack's blue skin and frost began to thaw in an instant. The glowing died down and ceased to light the tent. What was left were the two spirits in the dark, one unconscious and one completely awake. As Jack's hand fell from her head and lay limp, Elsa quickly removed herself from him and stumbled backwards and landed on the carpet. Eyes wide and mouth covered as she stared at the unfrosted man. Heart beating faster and he wasn't aware, body trembling and he was still limp, mind in a rut and he was in dreamland, wanting to scream and he was silent. After what felt like hours was only minutes in the darkness of the tent and the utter electric shock she felt when it happened. Was a good shock she didn't know, but at least she was able to thaw the ice from...whatever nightmare he had. At least he was okay and still in a deep sleep. He probably didn't know he kissed her right?

Elsa stood herself up, placing her hand over her chest, breathing slowly as her legs trembled and shook, wanting to walk over to the spirit to see if he was actually awake to notice. He wasn't, and he was sleeping, so he didn't kno- oh wow he's muscular- stop it! She lightly smacked herself and turned herself around and walked straight for the door. "He doesn't know what happened, he's still in a deep sleep. Its okay Elsa, its okay. Forget all about it in the morning. You still have the memory box to look into. A kiss is just a kiss. Nothing more nothing less" she told herself this as she closed the door behind her, walking out into the night sky and watching the Auroras trail away.

She'll forget about it in the morning.

Correction. She _didn't_ forget about it in the morning that the first thing she did was go directly to the chieftain's tent. When she arrived there, the elder was already eating her food.

"Elsa? What is it? It looks like you haven't slept well last night"

Said women, her hair in mess and tangled, her eyes a little darkened and expression annoyed walked into the tent.

"Can you do me a favor?"

"Of course"

"When Jack wakes up, can you slap him so hard that he falls to the floor?"

The elder was suddenly alert.

"What why for? What did he do?"

"He kissed me last night and I hate it. Wait. Can you slap me too? To make sure I'm not dreaming?"

The chieftain blinked then continued to eat.

"For rejecting a kiss from a handsome man like that? Certainly"


	24. Nightmares and Fearlings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack is surrounded by hoard of nightmares  
> Emily and Elsa encounter a demon-possessed ice castle  
> Olaf and Marshmallow are at a dark place

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long chapter.  
> Sorry I was gone for a month, College and personal problems appeared.

[Janurary 13, 2028]

Flying through the night sky and above the blanket of clouds as the wind blew through his hair, the winter spirit had plenty of thoughts going through his mind as he rubbed his soar neck. One thought was about what Cupid told him, and how long it would be until he would encounter Pitch's minions. He's heard of nightmares sneaking into homes and giving children nightmares, but actually being delusional and seeing them in their mind while turning white didn't sound like his nightmare horses at all. Well for the record Jack has only seen those black horses 27 years ago and never encountered them in his 300 years of endless wandering. Maybe one or two times he caught them in the shadows, but never did anything to them. Now he was wondering about what that old soldier -or well demon- said. What was Ragnarok? Why were their eyes so yellow? Screaming something was there? Jack didn't get it one bit, and he wanted to find out the connection between the recent events of last month. First is was the snowflake. The memory box. Ice castle. Wind spirit. Forest. Elsa. Magical Glacier. Old man Ahto. Sea serpent next to North Pole. Demon. Now nightmares attacking the guardians.

Was all of this Pitch's doing or some other evil spirit? 

Well it could make sense, that yellowed eyed mimic wanted to destroy Ahtohallan and take Elsa down with it. It wanted something from her and it used his staff and tried to kill him. What was that man anyway? Jack shook his head. "I swear Pitch is doing something, yellow eyed humans equals yellow eyed boogieman. Simple as that, but it's not simple. Damn it just go already!" He told himself as he continued to fly directly back his home town. 

When he arrived back to his home town, passing by the homes and landing at his pond, circling around the ice in the dead of night before stopping completely at the glowing symbol on the ground. Looking down at the symbol, his bare feet inches away from it, Jack's expression changed to yet again an annoyance. Great. It was still here, under the ice. Shouldn't it be gone since that glacier was destroyed? Shouldn't any of that be gone and the snow to stop falling? Jack titled his head to the night and starry sky, placing his palm out to let the snow touch his palm. The white small fluffiness of the weather didn't melt away in his hands, as it was expected of his own body temperature to keep it cold. He lowered his palm and tapped the glowing symbol with his staff twice on top of the thick ice, also expecting to hear his dear sister's voice again. No voice but the sounds of wind breezing through the trees and cars driving by in the distance. Finally, nothing but silence. He spoke this out loud to himself, placing his hand in his pocket as he looked back up to the sky. One hand stretched outward to catch the snowflakes that were currently falling towards the ground. He was just standing there in the middle of the pond, next to the rock, alone. Jack's been here plenty of times, more than he could count and yet he didn't notice that another figure had been watching him from the tips of the old and curly oak tree, quietly and subtle in the shadows, holding a snow globe before disappearing completely into the forest. 

The winter spirit took another low calm breath, a wintry blue fog escaped in a color of glacial blue, freezing the already frozen snowflakes that flurried down into his palm. He looked down at the crystals in his palm before shifting his attention to the Ahtohallan's symbol under the ice. It was still there despite the whole entire glacier and temple were destroyed in an instant, and that was about a two weeks ago. Jack dropped the crystalline snowflakes on top of the symbol, the clanking sound of ice contacting ice was loud enough for only him to hear in the night, and placed his hand in his pocket before tapping and moving the crystal snowflakes around the ice with his staff for a temporary moment of fun. "...I met you before...and you're still the same old gloomy god. I don't know what you want from me Old man, but using Ana's voice to traumatize me was low... well at least it wasn't some haunting siren song, now that would get me spooked" He titled his head up to the glowing brightness of the moon, the man in the moon. "I still have a ton of questions for you Manni, but you still won't say anything to me...but did you want me to remember who I was before?" 

The quarter moon was of course silent, speechless and shining brightly. Nothing to be said and nothing to be heard. Jack sighed, still looking up at the moon. "I watched you a thousand times already, asked you the same questions over and over then you finally tell that I'm a guardian for children that can't be seen. I mean thanks for that gift" He shrugged his shoulders towards the celestial light. He wanted to ask the moon if he actually knew Ahto years ago but his action was interrupted by the sound a something hitting the ice before him. Jack looked back to the symbol before him, seeing cracks beginning to expand. Another small pebble was thrown towards him and the spirit looked up in the direction of the thrown pebbles. There was a girl with blonde hair in two braids, wearing a white and blue coat with a handful of pebbles. She was currently holding a small pebble, ready to throw before she froze in place at the sight of the spirit. They both stood silently before each other. 

It was that girl he met with Jamie, the same girl who he impressed with his tricks. Didn't she have a huge book on myths before? 

Jack blinked and flipped his shepherd's staff back right side up in sight of the girl. The girl, Elizabeth, lowered her hand, her eyes widened and her cheeks a rosy red either from the cold or she was frightened. Wait, was she really scared of him? Could she actually see him? Jack raised his arm up and slowly waved his hand towards her in greeting. In response, she tensed up yet waved back to him. "H-Hi. What are you doing out here in the cold?" The girl asked, still carrying the hand-full of pebbles. "Where are your shoes?" Jack didn't respond, he was in fact speechless. This girl _saw_ him. He was actually being _seen_ without doing anything to her. Elizabeth stood there, waiting for an answer yet he still didn't say anything and instead took a leap from where he was to land right in front of her, his eyes still wide with disbelief. The girl didn't expect him to land right before her and tripped backwards in shock, landing on the dirt path while dropping the pebbles. Jack just stared at her, she really did look familiar to him. 

"Y-you can see me..." "Huh? Oh um, of course I can" Elizabeth helped herself back up from the ground, brushing her outfit from excess dirt. "You're that girl with the book weren't you? With Jamie?" "Yes. H-how do you know Jamie?" The spirit stopped talking, rubbing his hand behind his cold neck. "Uh...lucky guess? But You can see me. You believe in me" Elizabeth nodded, confused but also focused on his white hair and eyes. She then mouthed the words he last said, questioning to herself before widening her eyes in realization. "J-Jack Frost. You're Jack Frost! But you look nothing like how the book portrays you" Said spirit lowered his hand from his neck as she was beaming with joy. "Nothing like the book?" 

"I mean in most poems and pictures you look like either a blue skinned ice monster, an old man with a long beard, or a mischievous elf covered in icicles. But you look like none of those!" "Is-is that how people describe me?" Jack pointed to himself, not sure if he should be offended or happy that people were actually noticing his existence. "But you're more human and more attractive than I thought" Elizabeth was gushing now, excited instead of scared despite the cold midnight weather. "Heh. Thank you. That story that you told Jamie was interesting. That I was a king and living in the north pole with a castle. Wish it happened in life, if that could ever happen" Jack glanced to the icy ground, rubbing his frost covered staff. "The North pole? I thought you lived in Greenland, there's plenty of glaciers and icecaps over there" The spirit shook his head "No, I. I live here. Actually" He didn't look up to see Elizabeth's questioned gaze. "Really? Well that kinda makes sense" She rubbed her chin in thought "It says that you came from England and you went to America, that's what Jamie told me...um are you okay?" 

Jack's gaze was afar, looking past from the girl in front of him to see a shadowy creature in the shape of a wolf and yellow eyes prowling the town ways behind them. Elizabeth asked again yet Jack's focus was on the creature turning it's head as it stopped over a fence, growling directly towards the two. His eyes widened as it went into stalking position, yellow glowing eyes and white teeth glared directly at the girl. "Jack? What's wrong-" Elizabeth was about to her head around to know what was he seeing, but Jack's freezing cold hand touched her cheek and moved it back facing him. "Don't turn around and stay behind me" "O-okay" Jack swiftly moved around her, his staff in both of his hands and ready to face this blackened creature who jumped down from the fence and slowly walked down to him, growling. 

The yellow eyed wolf had a trail of black sand swirling behind it, but it didn't touch the ground and the spirit could see more yellow eyed creatures behind the fence and in the woods around them. Clouds were getting darker above them yet the moon was there to give light to the area. What were these creatures and why do they look similar to the nightmares? Were they apart of Pitch? The creature walked closer, still eyeing Jack as more of them came out of hiding, ready to charge after them both. Jack tightened his grip on the staff as it began to glow a light blue. Blue eyes shuffled around the pond to see eyes of yellow and white glowing in the dark around them, waiting. He took a step forward as Elizabeth was behind him, looking left and right clueless of what he was doing. "Jack? What's wrong?" "Just don't look behind you" "W-why? Is there something there?" There was a pause. The black wolf took a few more steps closer as did the other creatures lurking in the darkness of the forest. He tightened his grip. "...Yes" His blue eyes narrowed directly at the wolf as it growled and continued to walk until it leapt, pounced itself onto the winter spirit who raised his staff and blocked the wolf's canine teeth. 

"Go back home, don't look up and stay calm. I think I know what they are" Elizabeth wanted to turn around to see what he was fighting against, but she listened and moved around the winter myth. Without looking up and staying as calm as possible, she ran back up the hill and towards the town. Some of the blackened creatures took notice of her and decided to go after her instead until Jack raised his hand as a couple of icicles sprouted from the ground to block their path. "Hey! It's me that you want, not her!" Blue tinted snowballs were then thrown directly at the wolves, hitting both of them square in the face. Growling and snarling, they turned around to face the winter spirit who still had a round piece of ice in his hand, the beasts leapt after the winter spirit in rage. It wasn't long until the whole crowd of blackened creatures charged out from the darkness and sprinted right to him. The crowd of eyes that were going after him were a mixture of giant wolves, ghostly men, serpents and nightmarish insects with different colored eyes, ready to attack the spirit with the pack of wolves in front of him. Jack, realizing the many amounts of nightmarish creatures going after him, leapt up from the icy pond and towards the night sky. The wolves and creatures below ran towards the pond, making a turn upwards and flew upwards, gathering themselves like a blackened funnel as they reached the sky. The funnel of creatures elongated as Jack flew higher above the town, hearing the many snarls and sounds from the tornado of nightmares below him. 

One sharp blackened claw almost grabbed him from the tip-top of the vortex, which grew longer and faster to catch up to him. Gritting his teeth, the spirit reached above the night clouds, the bright light of the moon almost blocking his vision. Jack hovered above the sea of dark clouds, seeing the moon shine before him. Here it was quiet, there was no noise after passing above the clouds. It was just him and the moon, watching over him and the guardians. The guardians! Swiveling his head, he searched about, hearing the howling of wolves below and even around him. The darkened clouds grew thicker and thicker, growing as if to block the moon light entirely. Jack watched the darkened clouds swirl as if he was hallucinating. The swirls of the clouds were purposely covering the moon, forming into a face of a beast. One that replicated a wolf with glowing white eyes. The howls grew louder, then the sounds of humming and hisses came after. They weren't below him, he was going to get surrounded if he didn't act quickly. He has to go find what happened, find the deer or maybe a couple of loose elves from North's sleigh. Or maybe go back to the workshop and see what happened, yeah that would be a good idea. 

Jack curved towards a different path and took off, hearing a trail of growls and humming from behind. They were growing louder, more annoying, but louder and he estimated that the creatures were gaining on him through the sky. A swirling cloud cut off the light of the moon from high above, the beast’s face staring him down, but he couldn’t see it. He was busy flying away, planning to reach down, pass through the clouds and miles away from any city or townspeople. Jack didn’t notice a sea of black creatures multiplied from behind, flying even closer to him, and quickly forming into a beast itself. The winter spirit boosted himself away, still hearing the howling of the nightly beasts, and dipped himself below the layers of clouds. His eyes lit up when he found a trail of fallen pine trees, ready to fly over, unaware that a small black nightmarish insect squirmed its way into Jack’s hoodie. 

Baby Tooth hid herself well in the past 27 years while going with Jack on his adventures and hasn’t been in danger of being a part of Jack’s schemes. She tucked herself between his neck and his shoulder of his hoodie, also unaware of what was going on until she heard a buzzing of an insect. She saw the insect, a yellow-eyed wasp, fly down and land on the cold and pale skin of the spirit. It was only taking a second of a sting to make Jack react, smacking the back of his neck to kill whatever had stung him. The fairy watched him release his hand from his neck to see the insect had vanished and a spot of black and yellow had remained in both his neck and his palm. Baby Tooth fled from the spirit’s hoodie, hearing him complain about a bug bite until he saw the black sand on his palm. Jack’s eyes widened as he snapped his head towards the fairy. His icy blue eyes turning patches of yellow. His face was full of fear and worry, while Baby Tooth didn’t understand how to react. She saw his chest heave as if holding his emotions. Tears cascaded down his cheeks as he shook at her direction. Baby Tooth turned to where he was looking and she saw nothing, absolutely nothing. No shadows, no blocking clouds, and strange enough, no creatures that were chasing after them only seconds ago. She tilted her head in confusion. Did they leave already? What… what were they after? 

Jack’s grunting and pleading from behind her caught her attention. She turned back around to see the winter spirit clasp his head, fighting back as tears as he shook his head. His body hunched in midair as they were the only two in the middle of the sky. “No. No. No no no. Please. Stop it! It’s not real, it’s not real!” Baby Tooth hovered down to look at the spirit’s face, his eyes closed as tears continued to fall, his staff still in his hand as it glowed from his emotions. He closed his lips as he squinted his eyes. What was he trying to do? Not scream? Baby Tooth chirped and squeaked, tugging on his cloth and nipping at his skin to get his attention, to make him look at her. He didn’t seem to move, only mumbling pleads as his eyes opened to show that they are halfway recolored. “I know its not real... You’re not... Stop crying, you idiot!” He yelled to himself, covering his ears as he stared out at nothing but clouds. He didn’t notice her at all and he continued to breathe deeper, darting his eyes everywhere around him. She watched him move and sway from side to side, his staff glowing as prickles of ice formed around his hands and weapon. He was getting more paranoid by each stop and go of his movements. 

He had been hit and he knew he was targeted yet it was like he wanted to fight while being blinded this nightmare. He wanted to fight something yet he was crying, holding in his screaming. He didn't want to be like that old soldier, screaming and shooting at his hallucination blindly. Baby Tooth kept hearing him mumbling his fears as he hovered left and right in the air, breezing through the wind like a lost and lonely snowflake. "Guys? Guys?...It's not real. It's not real.... Why. Why did you leave me like th-it's not REAL!" Baby Tooth watched him shut his eyes, grit his teeth and smacked his cheek hard enough to leave a thin layer of frost over the area. His eyes opened, yet all she saw were those yellow eyes. Baby took quickly placed her hand on the spirit's glowing staff and tried to take it away from him, yet he was quicker. Jack's fearful expression turned to anger as he felt- and possibly saw- something take his staff away. He twirled his staff, stretching his arm out with the staff's bottom pointing right at the fairy. Standing tall, the spirit's fighting stance was vastly different from what she knew of Jack. He wasn't holding the staff with two hands but held it out like a sword. His eyes full of a blinding fear and of anger. His breathing was still heavy, yet there was this shakiness to his words. "Y-you! You did this! You took them all away!" Baby Tooth hovered before the flat end of his staff, concerned with her head tilted. 

Yet Jack couldn't see her, his vision blurred by colors of yellow and tears. "You took away my master...My family! My home! I trusted you and you took _everything_ from me!" Baby Tooth could see his staff glowing brighter and bluer frost had covered more his staff up to the very flat tip. Yet why was he using the flat edge and not the crooked side like usual? Baby tooth took a step back as Jack took a step forward, his stance more straight, and now unshakable. He wasn't screaming and he didn't look scared. Yet what scared her was the look in his yellow eyes: nothing but a cold glare, like a man fixed on vengeance. He raised his staff suddenly, two hands now holding the crooked edge as if it was a sword, and growled with hatred as his words chilled her very being. 

"Now I'll take away your very _soul_!" 

The fairy dashed away from the spirit's swipe, which created a wave of glowing ice, sparkling in the night and aiming straight at nothing. The wave of ice fell to the ground below but that didn't concern either of them. Baby Tooth kept flying, panicking as the spirit kept shooting bolts, spires and spikes of ice directly at her. Each attack glowed a glacier blue, yet there was a stronger level of magic she's never felt before. A magic that felt so ancient that it didn't really belonged here. She couldn't think of what it was, she was too busy being chased by the guardian with a racing heart. She flew, zipping about the clouded skies, going through the clouds to see droplets of water still stored. Once he had passed the cloud, water had frozen to balls of hail. He kept throwing attacks of ice and frost towards her as she continued to chirp in plea. She could still here him yell from a distance of a word that she may had guessed was the cause of all of this. 

"Don't run away from me you coward! We were destined to fight! Kozmotis!"

Another wave of blue light struck past her, freezing yet another night cloud. "You think you can win?! Using me as your pawn?!" A blast of frost shot right behind Baby Tooth, who had successfully dodged the attack and hid in another layer of clouds. Jack stopped in mid-flight, his eyes still blinded by rage, and continue to yell. "You can't hide from me forever Pitch! Fight me!" Jack raised his arms high above him, his hands glowed a frosted blue for a split second as a layer of clouds released a storm of glowing blue hail around them. Jack lowered his arms to make a motion of separating the storm away. The storm clouds departed away from each other, revealing Baby Tooth holding onto a piece of glowing piece of hail tightly. She could still see the winter spirit's eyes colored a golden yellow and his staff was still blue. His entire figure slowly lit itself up as his white hair started freezing up from the tips. What-what was going on with him? 

What did Pitch do to make him so frustrated like this? Well, he did pretty horrible things and he had a right to be angry. He had a right to fight Pitch but she wasn't him at all. Jack was hallucinating in fear, but seeing Pitch was his fear? That didn't make sense, let alone fighting him. The guardian continued to yell, pointing his blinding bluish white staff directly at Baby Tooth. "You have nowhere to hide, traitor! As long as I'm here, you won't take his light ever again!" He charged right at the fairy, eyes still staring with an emotionless chill. Quickly, she made another dip downwards, dodging as much as she could from ice bullets to walls of icicles, towards the Susquehanna river. Ways away from town itself, Baby Tooth took a dive down as fast as she could towards the thin ice of the river in hopes of making him land in the water. Even if it was a bad idea for Jack, she had to do something. She was sure she didn't want to be chased by her companion forever. Baby Tooth chirped in fear as the winds whistled past her at a heightened pace. The sounds of lighting from above as hail continued to drop from the skies scared her. Seeing one pass by her to slow motion realized the balls of hail were infused with spirals of ice magic, ready to hit the ice or even the town below her. 

As Baby Tooth could see the icy river below her, Jack was gaining speed, free falling with a focused expression. His entire hair had turned to icicles with patches of frost attaching to the tips of his ears, making him appear like an actual elf. He lifted his arm up over his shoulder, ready to strike in rage yet his cheeks kept frozen tears in place. The fairy touched the layer of ice with her feet, not expecting to see the symbol that taunted him appear below her. It shined in different colors and she swore she heard a voice of a siren sing to her until Jack's words closed in on her. 

"Because of you I'm alone like this! Because of you I'm stuck down here!" 

She looked up to see Jack's yellow eyes and glowing blue figure, ready to swing another ice attack right at her. She squeaked and flew away right before he had a chance to land and cage her in icicles. The plan of his force cracking the ice didn't seem to work. Jack landed directly on top of the rune symbol again and he quickly covered his ears, hunched over as if he was in pain. Baby Tooth slowed herself down, looking back to see her companion grunting and shouting in the storm. She thought that the siren's song inside the glyph halted him from slaying her to pieces. The fairy was 6 feet away from him, cautious of flying closer to her delusional friend in fear he would see Pitch instead of her. The winter spirit continued to grunt and cover his ears, his eyes shut tight as he pleaded. His voice shaky as more tears fell and froze to the ground. "Please! I-I can still hear you...Ana, please.." He glanced up, his yellow eyes facing Baby Tooth who hovered before him with a look of grief. "Don't be afraid of me" 

The fairy tilted her head as she shivered from the coldness of the storm, noticing that maybe Jack was seeing someone else rather than Pitch. He looked so sorrowful, sad about his illusion. For a second, the fairy decided to move 2 feet closer to him, coming out of the fog of the storm. When she showed herself to him, Jack's fear turned to anger once again as he noticed her. He laid his hands down, his mouth agape to yell in rage as his arms were ready to strike and attack her. "Pitch!-" He was going to launch himself, strike a blow at the poor fairy with an ancient vengeance she didn't know about. 

Baby Tooth shielded herself, ready for a blow of ice to engulf her yet nothing happened. Opening her eyes she noticed two golden whips of sand were tied to his wrists, holding him back from behind. She chirped, her wings perked up at the sight of the dreamy guardian behind the spirit. Sanderson held the two golden whips as he managed to take control of Jack's deadly behavior. In his way to the town he saw Jack flying by, shooting arrows and bullets of ice right towards the fairy as he was blinded by light. The guardian of dreams had no idea what was going on with Jack until he noticed a dark spot on the back of his neck. The dark spot on his neck swirled around his shoulders, yet the guardian's own blinding light was making it difficult figuring out what it exactly was. Jack pulled, struggling to break free from the whips of sand. His teeth snarled, his hair and face white and frozen with icicles. His icy hands clawed and clawed after the fairy before him, trying so desperately to reach her to possibly kill her. "Pitch... _Pitch_! I'll kill you! I'll kill your minions, your monsters, your everything! You're no god! You're nothing! Agh!" Sanderson quickly made more whips of sand and entangled them around his body and legs, making the winter spirit slip onto the surface of the river. The staff lost its glow and frost as it landed on the surface. Jack was face to face with the ice, seeing his reflection. 

In a normal reflection he would see just himself covered in ice magic, but in this delusional vision, he saw a monster. A fanged, pointy eared, beastly nightmarish animal blue as the morning sky. His yellow eyes were just a glowing blue aura with antlers appearing from the side of his head. He stopped squirming, stopped screaming in anger and just stared at himself in the ice. He was an actual monster in his fearful eyes. The monster he feared himself to be was right in front of his eyes. Was this...was this what the soldier meant? Suddenly his reflection moved its canine mouth as it continued to stare into his feared soul. Words of hushed and a chilling tone escaped from its lips that he could here. His words sounded like howling echoes of the wind. 

_He...betrayed you..._

_He left you...here..._

_You are... alone..._

_They all....fear you_

_No one...needs you..._

_Little. Moon Elf..._

He didn't notice Baby Tooth had flown to Sanderson's side and he didn't even knew that Sanderson appeared to stop him from killing an innocent fairy. He didn't even notice the guardian had spoken with the fairy and him being picked up by a cloud of sand. He didn't know where they were going, but he couldn't move. He himself was paralyzed, scared of his own reflection and the chilling words were still fresh in his mind. An other worldly beast he didn't want to face. He became a monster and he kept hearing his dear sister scream in horror in the background. No. This wasn't him. This wasn't Jackson Overland. Please stop being afraid of him. I said don't be afraid of me! Stop screaming! 

Sanderson saw Jack fight with himself through the ropes of sand, screaming at no-one and shutting his eyes. He was squirming like a fish, trying to escape the sand cloud while freezing the sand as he fought. Sandy watched him fall from the sand cloud, wide awake and pushing away the ropes from his body. Before Jack could fully escape, Sanderson placed his hands over the poor boy, seeing those cold emotionless yellow eyes, and cast him to sleep before he could ever fly away. The winter spirit had fallen through the river into cold icy water before Sandy could get him back up on the cloud again. 

Both he and the fairy glanced at each other, then at the icy hole where Jack fell into, and back to each other. Oh boy. This is troubling. 

* * *

[North Mountian, Norway]

The crystal glowed a couple of times, pulsating and moving about on its own as if it was being called forth. Yet the crystal had been safely secured, frozen and chained around the fifth spirit's neck as she was yet again being winded and moving through the air as if caught in a tornado. The trip still gave her a thought of using Gale to bring her to the North Mountain instead of the powerful and oh-so gentle Nature Deity herself. Which, by the way, was not gentle in the slightest with her pick-me-ups aka tornado airline express. The deity herself stated that was a quicker way to bring spirits and humans right to her domain, but Elsa could think of other ways to get there. The two women had been, instead of staying quiet, were arguing about the many different ways to travel.

"Look what I'm saying is this the only way I know of that doesn't give an instant kill" "Instant kill?! You mean you kill your guests with your transportation? You're mother nature!" "Yes thank you, I could carry you through the clouds but that would make you look crazy" "No it wouldn't! How about going through the ground? I've seen you do that thing of turning yourself into a tree or pop out of the ground. Why not do that?" "I'll probably loose you somewhere in between the earth that you're half of your body would be stuck" "Okay. How about using rocks?" "What for catapulting us somewhere? Actually that's not half bad, that's hilariously fun" Emily laughed syntactically as she was chilling in the tornado while Elsa was trying to get her balance. "Just- Wooo-Splat-Ha!" She clapped her hands together. "That'll be fun to watch" " _What_ is with you deities and being so heartless with humans?" Emily shrugged "Either boredom, pride, or that you're just really...really... _really_ tiny and fragile that we don't notice. You humans live in a cycle of life and death for millennium so..." She shrugged. Elsa opened her mouth, then closed it just to open it again. "You are...not as nice as I thought" 

Emily tilted her head and nodded in agreement. "In a way, yes, but I still have this decency to care about all of you, since you're blessed to have unlimited food and shelter. I swear, sometimes you complain like babies and do year long family fights on my realm for no fucking reason it pisses me off. Great Deluge was an example of tha- no. Ice Age was an example of- no wait, that was our fault... Now when you guys tried to built skyscrapers just for your pride and shit. It was my _husband_ and that got mad at you guys, spreading languages but that was..when...three millennium ago? But wait...air planes exist. Oh! Yeah Pollution! Chem trails, bombs and the _rockets_...that's what got my baby _furious._ Now about this petty virus however, did I not mention you humans are _fragile as fuck_. The black death wasn't my doing but-" 

Elsa rubbed her forehead from the deity venting about the many things she _loves_ about humanity while she noticed the crystal moving about on it's own. Elsa quickly grabbed the crystal in her hand, feeling a source of magic within in her palm that felt more powerful than she would usual experience. This crystal was for Jack, it belonged to Jack and maybe it was being called upon _by_ him. The giants said that there was something ancient about him and she wanted to know how ancient. The spirit looked up to the deity who was still venting about garbage islands. Most of Mother Nature's vents didn't interest her until she heard names she reconsigned before. 

"-Ahto had the nerve to even use Vellamo's voice, his damn wive to talk to Jack. I mean he's damn stuck in another realm since that tree was cut down, but oh he still has his spiritual ability to watch over and keep you trapped while planning for another ice age. Seriously ruin my plan of heating the realm up but no, he just had to go and use Jack of all spirits. Why not Yuki-onna or Kurakami. He's an ice dragon but I never heard from him in _centuries_ let alone any other spirit serpent in this world. Like where the fuck did they go huh? Did they scurry themselves off to Niflheim or-oh we're here" 

Elsa has listened to what she was venting on about and truly the ice spirit wondered why this deity was telling her all of this. Did she had a plan of some sort or has she talked to a human at all? Elsa may never know but it was truly interesting to hear and spend more time with her. Since she is the balance of nature she could become easy friends with the nature deity herself. Though depending on her already venting, complaining and arguing with the ice spirit showed that the friendship was _too_ easy. Or maybe she was really annoyed at the current events of sudden perpetual snow. Emily, without raising her arms or doing any movements, let the tornado land before the familiar icy stair case on the snow. As the tip of the tornado landed, it instantly dispersed and disappeared into nothing. The women watched above at the old ice castle, one in shock and one in annoyance. 

The entire ice castle before them was drenched and colored in a deep blackness, swirls of black entities encircled the castle spires as well as the entire staircase before them. Elsa could see these black entities had fused and formed themselves into the ice. There were eyes of yellow, red and white blinking from the railings and steps. They were all smiling at her in a haunting greeting. Emily placed her arm over the spirit as if protecting a child from the elongated fingers, planning to take her- and the crystal- away. Howling and groaning came from the creatures as they swirled around endlessly. Emily could see them explore, look around the entire castle as if trying to find something. 

"W-what happened? What are these things?" Blue eyes watched the many faces stare out at nothing from the stairway. Her eyes widened in horror "Olaf! Where's Olaf?! How long as this been going on?!" She looked up at Emily, who kept watching both the entrance and the door balcony being covered in webs of black magic. "It only happened two days ago, but I didn't except them to spread that fast. Besides the glacier, your ice castle is the only other connection to Ahto..." Forest green eyes narrowed at the top of of the castle. She could see the fearlings gathering over the spires, popping out of the darkness and looking out in curiosity. "And so are your creations" 

"My creations...Mother Nature what are planning to do with them? Why did you bring me here?" "In a way you seem more connected to Ahto than I do. Olaf and the other snowmen are inside. They snuck up on me, took control of their bodies and attacked me. I wouldn't get them to listen to me so they threw me out, demanding for-" Emily was interrupted by the constant tapping from behind her. She turned around to Elsa "Will you stop tapping me!?" "I-I'm not doing anything, its the crystal-" The blue crystal kept moving on its own, glowing and dimming repeatedly. It tried to escape Elsa's neck by pulling to the west of her direction. She gripped it with both hands, feeling herself being pulled in the same direction. "It's going crazy! Why is it like this?! Ergh" She pulled at the crystal as it was forcing her to move with it. "It's being called upon..." "Called upon? By who? Jack?" Emily didn't respond and instead took a step forward in front of the demon possessed steps. Looking down at them, she could hear them murming, their elongated arms ready to reach for the deity. 

She was planning to burn them away from the steps, but she needed Elsa to get into the castle and snap the little snowman out of it. "I know most of you are her creations" She titled her head to the spirit who was currently struggling to keep the crystal close to her body. "You want the crystal, I can tell it in your eyes, but why do you want it so badly?Ahto's not here...not anymore" She whispered as she looked up to the blackened castle. Then she turned around to the ice spirit, who managed to hold it close to her chest. "I got it in control somewhat..." "Good, lets go in before it rebels" Elsa was not expecting Mother Nature to pick her up, carrying her over her shoulder as she started taking the steps. The spirit blinked in both confusion and shock. "Um, what are you doing? Couldn't you just, fly me up there using your wind?" "You want me to catapult you up to the balcony using boulders?" Elsa tightened her grip on the crystal and opened her mouth to close it again. "I- No" "Aw, would've been fun, Jack would love that" Emily snickered at the thought. "Yes but there's no need to carry me like this, this is my castle. I made it" "Yes and I watched you made it. For the record it's very plastic and bland" 

"Well _I'm sorry_ if it didn't fill your exceptions on castle building" "I've seen plenty of temples and castles in my 5000 so-and-so years of living and I've seen humans do better. And it's all to please their 'gods'. I mean I don't have a temple of my own, but Ahtohallan?!" "Hey, Ahtohallan is a wonderful place, it's not like you've actually been there to criticize it's grand secrets" Elsa could hear the deity chuckle bitterly. 

"Oh. I haven't been there in centuries, Elsa. and it's practically abandoned since the Ice Age, so it's not that decorative. There's always some spirit guarding it from making me judge" 

"The Nokk right? He's told me he guards Ahtohallan for centuries" Emily shook her head in response. "Not him, someone else" 

Emily stopped before the door, which was covered in plenty of webs and dark magic. The groaning and murmuring of ancient demons grew louder into her ears, and she could feel their presence, they were planning to go into her ears and take possession. Emily sighed and placed her hand over the webbed doors. "I know you won't hurt me, but you know I could hurt them with fire... Open up Olaf!" Emily yelled towards the balcony above them, which were dripping with webs of dark magic. A loud groan was sounded from above them, and suddenly the entrance doors were pushed open, revealing the inside to be a decorated and possessed mess of black nightmares and fearlings. The pillars of the castle were black as night, encircled with a decoration of spikes and webs of magic. The fountain was covered in thicker webs as nightmarish creatures hovered about the vast floor. Elsa, who was still being carried, looked around her to shock and dismay. Her castle had been captured by these dark spirits, and it was her fault. It was her fault for leaving them behind and not letting them stay with her in the forest. But she shouldn't feel this guilt for so long, these creatures snuck their way in and caught Mother Nature off guard. 

Elsa wondered why Mother Nature was at her palace in the first place, or why they weren't attacking her. She still wanted to know what these horrible creatures were, but first she needed to know the diety's plan and what Olaf wanted. "Mother Nature, where are we going?" "Make sure to hold that crystal close to you, we're meeting with Olaf and the snow golem in the second floor" She continued to walk past the fearlings and minions who were curious of her entrance yet didn't bother pay attention to the white gowned spirit she carried. Elsa was questioned on why these beings were acting so playful around castle, being reckless yet didn't bother to look at her nor sense the crystal's presence. "Don't worry about them, they sense my power to not go near me. You however is a different story" Emily walked up the stairs two by two, passing over the faces of the fearlings entrap in the ice, until they another flight of stairs. 

Emily stopped to look up at the at decorated halls and hangings of dark magic with a blend of nightmares. "You know, you didn't have to make this castle so tall and empty" She began to continue walking up the steps. "I was in a phase okay? Even though I'm not royalty anymore, I still like it like this" "I don't understand your humans to be bigger than yourselves. I mean, it's cute and all but, sometimes you're just a delusional mess. I understand you guys can be prideful for your feats but it's so easy to crush you guys you know? Such sensitivity, so emotional with such self-esteem issues, so fragile. Worse of it is you're _proud_ of being that sensitive. How blind are you!? You aren't gods, not 70 feet tall, you have limits for crying out loud-" 

Elsa sighed deeply as Emily continued to talk about her love towards humans, wishing she would talk about something else. Maybe her knowledge of worldly spirits or what these things actually were and why she knew of such things. The thought of that that time with the armored serpent in the dark sea was brought back, so was the warnings of her sister years ago. Maybe she could ask Mother Nature about of these things. 

"-also how utterly naive you people are. You start out as naive, innocent ready-to-go yet I can't help but be so motherly at your innocence. Then suddenly, whoop-de-doo teenage years happens and suddenly you aren't innocent anymore. Older years and you think you're wise enough and observant to know everything but in truth you _still_ don't know everything. You die while your still growing and still learning and poof! Your back to dust! Just like every other animal and plant on this realm. Though the cutest part is you worry over absolutely nothing until you turn into absolutely nothing. It's like you humans don't listen to me for 120 years, yet I listen to you for a millennium. Taking me for granted and forgetting I'm alive...that I have a heart, I have emotions and reason...I take care of you and you take me for granted..." 

Emily whispered the last sentence as she slowed herself down, reaching the entrance of the second floor. She stayed silent, placing the spirit down before the arch. "But I listen to you, and I don't take you for granted. Neither do the Saami, nor the Inuits. Humans do respect you, since you know their still growing. You can forgive them" 

"I've forgiven them in a neutral way, but you humans are like my own children despite not physically being near any of you for a very long time" Elsa turned herself to face the tall deity. "How long is a long time?" "Well" She glanced up at the dark ceiling, then back at the spirit "3000 years give or take. Now go inside, I'll follow you from behind" 

Elsa turned back around and walked into the second floor of the castle, seeing the room covered and decorated with the same darkness and creatures. There were two thrones, one big and one small, a perfect size for both Marshmallow and Olaf who sat in their thrones. Olaf wearing a spiky crown of dark magic, holding a staff of dark magic and an orb- no, a snowglobe- in his hands. Marshmallow wore her old coronation crown, it too was covered in dark magic. He didn't hold anything but the icicles around him were fully out. Both of their eyes were hallowed with yellow eyes. Their faces blank as Olaf's carrot nose wasn't there anymore. They both were colored black and a swirl of dark magic encircled their bodies. Emily took a step forward before them as did Elsa, whose eyes were still widened in horror. 

"Look, she came back to see you Olaf. She barely looks a year old. Elsa clearly still loves you" Emily gestured her arms towards the ice spirit, who clenched her fists by her side. Elsa took a step closer to the two "Olaf what's happened to you? You do know why I left you here with the others. This is the only structure I have left of my family. I wanted to keep you all safe here. There was a war and I need you all safe, they were coming after me and they had armies controlled by-by evil spirits. You have to understand why I left" 

Olaf didn't respond, he just kept looking at the both of them, emotionless and cold with yellow eyes. "Why isn't he answering?" She looked up at the deity, worry in her voice and expression. "Possessed. I was here in the castle to visit them so they wouldn't be so lonely, but in truth something didn't feel right. I was telling them an ancient story, that's when they appeared out of nowhere and immediately took over all of them. He and everyone else were screaming. I asked what was wrong and the demon wanted one thing in exchange to free them" 

"A-and that is?" Emily sighed and took another step towards Olaf. "Olaf, the crystal is right here, in Elsa's possession. You said you wanted it, well here is it" She brought Elsa closer to him, releasing the glowing crystal from her hand. It stopped moving and laid resting on her collar bone. Olaf finally moved from his seat, placing the snow globe and staff on the chair, and walked around Elsa, sniffing her as he walked. "U-um, Olaf honey what are you doing?" "Sniffing you obviously" Emily replied, her arms folded as she too was questioned by his behavior. Suddenly the snowman stopped and stood on his throne, holding the black staff and pointing it right at Elsa, his yellow eyes staring coldly at her. "I sense no god in her, no magik" His voice was deeper, like a layer of voices were speaking together but more nightmarish. He then moved the rod towards the crystal on her neck. "Crystal? Only a shard, not the whole thing" He then swiftly moved the rod to Emily. "You are a liar" 

Emily cursed under her breath, her eye twitching at his claim. A lair?! Her?! A pathetic snowman is calling her a liar?! "Let me tell you this, Olaf. That story I told you days ago? All true, 100 percent true. There are other gods, other spirits, other beings and especially other realms beside Earth. _Humans_ are the ones who lie with such a sinful, fearful heart. They can change in a flip of a hat! But you're not a human, you're just snow. So I can destroy you, _burn you_ with no hesitation-" 

"Emily!" Elsa placed a cold hand onto the deity's arm, stopping her from warming the castle and possibly melting everything, including Olaf and Marshmallow. The deity took a deep breath and closed her eyes, relaxing herself and letting the temperature drop. She then glanced at the ice spirit, who gave her a stern look. Emily rolled her eyes and sighed. "True...she has no magic left, Ahtohallan took it away in safety. But I'm still as powerful as he is, even more so. Yet Elsa is still attached and apart of it. Ahto is gone, yes, but he's technically here beside me" Olaf's eyes moved from the deity to Elsa "Can you...talk to Ahto?" She shook her head, holding the crystal tightly as it continued to glow. "I...I don't know. This crystal could" 

"Shard is only shard" Olaf sat himself back down on his throne. "To let him go: you must give me all pieces" He placed the rod down on his lap and took the fancy snowglobe in his hands, rubbing the top of it. "All pieces? So there's more?" "Of course. Give me the spear and soon we will go..." Olaf's eyes went wide and were focused on the snowglobe's image shifting from the Himalayas to changing into the stars, moon and sun up above them. "...to Alfheim". 

Alfheim? So that place actually exists? It wasn't just a mythology then. Elsa could feel the temperature rising again, seeing the deity's fists shaking and green eyes glaring down at the snowman- at the demon- in front of her. "Oh really?" "Yes" "And how will you get there then? That snowglobe can't take you there, you're 3 millenium late for that to happen" "We know. Ahtohallan's downfall set us free, he guards the celestial doors doesn't he?" Emily didn't respond. "What are you planning to do when you eventually get there?" Elsa asked him, holding the shard tightly. 

"They won't get there" Emily gritted her teeth. "They won't ever get there. The tree's cut down, possibly for good. Don't waste your time with that plan of yours, and get out of Olaf before I send a fire tornado straight here" She threatened the snowman who didn't seen to be scared by it. "Deny the law of physics for a puny snowman? Fire doesn't happen in winter, you know that especially Mother Nature" Said women huffed through her nose and rolled her eyes again. "You're right, but no said about..." Emily raised her arm up into the air. They were waiting yet nothing happened. 

Olaf scoffed "Looks like the fire didn-" A huge pillar of permafrost earth was punched from the icy floor, the two snowmen and thrones were literally catapulted out of the ice palace, breaking through the icy black wall and into the sky. Emily meanwhile grinned and chuckled at the action. "Ah, still fun" "Olaf! Marshmallow!" Elsa sprinted from her spot and towards the balcony doors, which were shut with webs of magic. She saw eyes of yellow and red face her from the door, hands slipped out to try and grab her. They were chanting to her, saying to become one with them. "That won't happen" Suddenly the fingers of the demons were on fire, spreading from the fingers to the hands and eventually to the door. The icy door had melted away with the dark magic and Elsa quickly walked out to the balcony to see Olaf and Marshmallow falling to their deaths from the mountian. Elsa wanted to save them but she and Emily saw them being swarmed by nightmares, fearlings and evil spirits. Olaf was holding the snowglobe, shaking it and throwing towards the sky. A huge blue and black portal appeared and in an instant the swarm of nightmares and fearlings were swept into the portal and it disappeared. 

Elsa watched in silence of what just happened and wanted to jump down from the balcony, but Emily stopped her from doing something so stupid. "Olaf...where...where did my baby go?" She turned to the deity, tears welling in her eyes. Emily didn't answer her, she stood quiet, watching the crystal shard glow around her neck even more. 

"Tell me! Where did he and marshmallow go?! Where are all of my creations?! You have to know Emily!" "...I don't-" "YOU HAVE TO KNOW!" Elsa was screaming at this point, tears were falling down her cheeks and her eyebrows furrowed, her body shaking. She looked angry, but also deeply afraid. "HE WAS THE ONLY FAMILY I HAD LEFT LIVING AND HE'S GONE. WHAT AM I SUPPOSE TO DO NOW THAT I NO HAVE NO PURPOSE IN MY LIFE. WHO AM I EMILY?! YOU HAVE TO KNOW THIS! YOU HAVE TO TELL ME WHERE HE WENT. AHTOHALLAN'S GONE, OLAF'S GONE, MY MAGIC IS GONE. I HAVE NOTHING LEFT-" 

Elsa felt herself being slapped as hard as she could by the deity herself. She opened her eyes, holding her cheek and looked up at Mother Nature, who indeed was frustrated and tired of her yelling and screaming about loosing everything. "For the love my husband above would you _shut up?_ You haven't lost everything. Olaf isn't gone, not completely. He's just possessed. Those things, creatures were fearlings. My father's minions but I see he recruited and allied more spirit's into his mess. I'm helping and telling you this because me and Ahto were friends once upon a century. Seriously, there's no need to be so dramatic child. Now come along" Emily walked away from her and back into the corrupted ice castle. 

Elsa wiped away her tears as she caught up with the deity. "I know you like journeys, so we're going on. We're going to search for the other shards of the spear, but we're going to the North Pole first" "Why to the North Pole?" "You've heard of Santa Clause right?" "Oh, yes, I remember meeting him years ago" "Well, we're going back there" Both of them stepped down the stairs outside of the now broken castle. Emily stopped in her tracks as they walked down the mountain. "Elsa...I do know where they went" 

* * *

The black and blue portal suddenly appeared, sticking out like a glow of light in an endless black and and dreary place. Stairs and walls were flipped about like mazes, cages were hung by chains and the sounds and howls of nightmares were everywhere. Little bits of light could be seen on the surface to create shadows but nowhere can the source be located. A mob of fearlings appeared out of the portal, and two blackened snowmen appeared, landing roughly on the cement ground with a hollow globe of lights in the center of the dark lair. The portal closed and they were left with the snowglobe, bouncing from the small snowman's head towards the globe of lights. Greeted by a black horse, it sniffed at the two, then neighed and let them be, crawling back into the shadows. 

A voice could be heard in the shadows that were next to the globe, and the two black snowmen turned to the voice. "What?! You mean you _didn't_ get the egg?! You followed a troll, a bloody _troll_ into the ends of that temple and yet you still didn't get the relic!" The voice grew closer in the shadows, and finally the man showed himself out into the light, arguing with a nightmare man that had escaped the Warren. "You were close, _so close!_ And where is the other pirate?! I-" The tall, gray and looming man stopped in his tracks to feel an object before him. Golden eyes looked down at the bright snowglobe and then right in front of him to see a large snow golum and a small snowman wearing crowns. They were black with golden eyes and an emotionless stare. 

Pitch stared at them with wide eyes, confused of what he was seeing. Two snowmen, dead yet somehow alive, and certainly possessed by no other than nightmare men. He opened his mouth and whispered to the fearling beside him. "Who are these snowmen? Never seen them before in my entire existence" More fearlings as whispered to him in his ears, and nodded in understanding. Gray and long fingers pointed to the smaller snowman. "You. Small one. Speak and tell me what... all of this is" Did as he commanded, Olaf stood up and spoke in the many voices of evil spirits. "Ahtohallan as been destroyed, your plan is working my king. A fallen angel has been set free from the ice and the world will soon be destroyed by darkness and chaos of your nightmares. Nightmare King" Both Olaf and Marshmallow bowed to said man with respect. Pitch watched the lights on the globe beginning to flicker and flash about. He walked around the globe with interest before going back to the two snowmen. "I see, brilliant, but I still want an explanation for all of _this_ " he gestured to the two snowmen before him. 

"Oh, yes. These were the only two that were left having the source of Ahto's magic, but these snowmen aren't giving us information about the deity himself...just...a love for summer and...a fear of death" "Well, isn't that ironic" "Yes...yes it is" "Hmm, what about the big one? Can you speak?" Olaf shook his head "No, he can only say some words but not all, yet he still has a decent amount of Ahto magic. He tells us nothing but fear, loneliness, and betrayal" "Who made these living snowmen?" The snowmen didn't say anything for a solid minute before responding. "An ice spirit of Ahtohallan, a daughter" Pitch turned around to face the black wall "Since when did that old man have a daughter?" Another fearlng that came from the portal with the snowmen flew to the king's side and whispered in his ear. 

He listened quietly, then his eyes were widened at the news. He turned himself around to face to the two snowmen. "A shard? Only a _shard_ of the spear came with the girl?! Well that isn't enough magic to get up to that realm then, let alone back! Without that tree we are going nowhere!" "Yes, that is why I challenged her. She too has no magic within her, only a little bit remains and she fears of loosing her them. To let them free, she must bring the whole spear, all the pieces to us. And from us to you" 

"Hm, sounds like a plan...and what about the guardians?" The snowmen didn't answer, but another nightmare man did. They are well asleep in an illusion of fears by Nattmaras thanks to the freeing of a dark angel. All caught off guard" "Wait.." He turned his head to the nightmare man "...All of them? Including Sandman?" "We could not track him down, but he is weaker now that the Nattmaras are growing fear faster" "How weaker?" "That he is the only guardian left without a fear" Pitch stroked his chin and nodded at the thought "Makes sense" He turned back around to face the two snowmen "Small one will be kept here, Big one will be sent to the Himalayas. The small one looks intelligent enough to talk despite his..." Pitch scanned Olaf's form and body, staring at the buck tooth it had and large eyes. He grimaced only slightly. " _Odd_ appearance. Put him in a freezer cage or something, I don't want to look at it any longer" Pitch turned around and started walking away with his hand up in a gesture for them to go and leave. 

His golden eyes were set as he walked further into the shadows and a smile crept on his face. "I'm going to have a nice chat with Sandman" 


	25. Fear-Mongering Wolves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sandman encounters the fearlings.  
> Pabbie meets a werewolf

[December 26, 2027]

Sanderson knew something was off.

The unusual darkness of the night gave way to a suspicion that, once the sleigh reached past the Arctic Circle and towards Antarctica, they were being followed and their potential encounter would go horribly wrong. Next to him, Aster was having as much fun as he would hope. Still gripped with fear of heights and falling to his potential doom, the guardian of hope didn’t dare to look down since they were flying kilometres up in the air. “I’m still not used to any of this mate! I’m sure Jack is bloody fine without us!” Aster clawed his paws and nails into the wood of the sleigh for his dear life. Sandy sat next to him, watching him to distract himself from this horrible sensation. Maybe this feeling had to deal with Jack, or it didn’t, but there was something more to it. Toothiana stood before them and behind Nicholas, looking out at the black skies as her own wings flickered, her feathers riled up as if danger would approach them. 

“Um. North... tonight’s a bit... off to me, I think we should head back to the palace” “Heh, yeah I agree with Toothie over here, why not we go out in the mornin’? Ya know, when the sun’s out in the west?” Aster continued to hold on to the sleigh in fear, not looking anywhere but at the fairy who found her balance from Nicholas’ reckless driving. The big guy worried about Jack like a son, Aster could tell that much, but for Christ’s sake can he at least _slow down_?! 

Passing by a night time snow storm, the guardians were above North America, the eastern portion of the United States, when a distant glow of two yellow light caught Sandman’s attention. Sandy turned round about and he stood on top of the wooden seat. Aster glancing to his left to see the golden guardian eye’s focused out into the darkness of the storm. “Ay, Sandy something wrong?” said guardian shook his head in response. His hands about to summon his golden whips until the sleigh began shaking, making him lose his balance. He fell backwards, landing on Aster, and looking up at the veiled stars. The entire sleigh was shaking, Nicholas tugging and pulling the reins of the reindeer who were going wild. 

“North, what’s happening?!” Toothiana asked, scooting over to see Nicholas fight and struggle as the reindeer were moving about, their eyes turning black and their brown fur becoming white as snow. They fled in circles, squares, hexagons, any shape you could think of as the guardians slid from one side to the other. Aster was trying to hold in his stomach when they swayed and swirled about in the sky. “I-I don’t understand! They’re just- Ah! Steady! Steady there! Whoa!” They all flew upside down, up and around, until Sanderson used his whips to gain control of the reindeer. “Out of nowhere! They suddenly go out of control!” As both Sandy and Nicholas got the reindeer in place, giving back the sleigh’s rightful balance, Sandy heard a hushed voice pass by his ear. It was a low, chilling noise. A low howl with the words: He will be free bypassed him while the growing darkness made it difficult for the guardian to pinpoint who or what was following them. Sandy turned around only once to see how Aster was doing and, to his fright, the giant Pooka curled himself up in a fetal position. He screamed, holding his long ears close to him as if shutting out a noise only he could hear. "Ah-Ah! It's too much, stop!" The guardian's eyes were closed shut with fear with his limbs close to his body. Toothiana rushed to him, his fearful position reflected in her worried eyes, what was happening to him? "Bunny? Are you okay?!" 

"He shouldn't be that afraid of heights, it's not big deal. You-you get used to it after while" Nicholas wanted to brush off the sudden fear in the back of his mind. The Russian man was certain this was the work of Pitch, but he could see no nightmares, just endless dull and gray clouds swirling around and blocking his path. The two guardians were too busy gaining control of the reindeer, who were still acting crazy in the sky, to notice Aster's colored fur slowly turning white. "His fur..." "What about his fur- Gr, hold steady will ya?!" North pulled back the reindeer in a straightforward position before they were going to dive down under the clouds. "What-what are they seeing? Why act up like this?! Sandy, go and find Jack. I'll make sure we land!" Nicholas grunted as he struggled to keep control of the reindeer, who were gradually descending past the dark clouds. Sanderson nodded, letting go of the animals and flew on his sand catching sight of the creatures that were following them. These creatures were indeed nightmares, many different ones and with endless forms of a child- and an adult's- fear. Flying away from the sleigh, Sanderson used his whips, slashing the dark clouds and revealing the ghostly creatures of the night. He could get rid of all of them if he could, but his whips didn't cast enough light to let him see any more of the nightmares. They hid too well in the darkness of the night and he wondered if Pitch used his dream sand like last time, but in this instance, there was no sand in any of them. Pure shadows these creatures were, and the guardian of dreams was now surrounded by them. They swirled about him, blocking his view of the sleigh below. Haunting voices were about him, getting his attention away from the other guardians. They spoke, hissed and buzzed, growing bigger and bigger as they mimicked screams of terrified little children and gown adults alike. 

Sanderson saw these nightmares gather themselves together, colliding to form an even bigger creature with the many faces of screaming souls plastered all around itself. They all moaned in sorrow, wanting to break free and spoke in unison directly to the golden guardian.

_Rise to Ragnarok, May fear be your enemy. He will rise from the depths once more, to take care of you once and for all. What will you do without your glow, little spirit?_

The horrible floating demon, fused of nightmares, aimed itself with it's serpentine jaw wide open overshadowing -or even eating- the guardian of dreams. Sandman wasn't informed of the other guardians demise, screaming in fear, from ways below him. He was stuck dealing with a demonic floating head ready to eat him alive, cracking his whips to take away the excess nightmares that were going to tackle him. Yet all of it was too much. Before the demon full of nightmares could fully devour the guardian, sudden multiply arrows of fire from below the layer of thick clouds appeared, striking the floating head from behind. It screamed out of agony and terror from the touch of fire. Sanderson, able to get away from the spiral of nightmares and the giant demonic head, flew hastily downwards past the layer of clouds. The guardian reached the snow covered earth, seeing a trail of fallen pine trees until he met with the sleigh. Sanderson quickly approached the sleigh in worry, hearing the guardians scream in agony and fear. He watched Toothiana fall to the ground, unable to fly as her magenta eyes were colored a bright yellow. She couldn't stand up, but she was holding her hands to her ears, blocking out noises as she screamed of her fears to Sanderson, her own colorful feathers slowly turning white. 

Nicholas on the other hand held his sword in his hand, spinning himself around as he slashed aimlessly, his eyes bulged in fear as he screamed and yelled "Back! Back I say! Get away from me you ugly horned devil!" He continued to slash about, leaping over his sleigh to slash his sword towards a fallen pine tree. The Russian man continued to slash at the pine tree with fear and restlessness in his eyes. Aster, Toothiana and North were fear stricken, yet he couldn't see what made them this way. How did these nightmares sneak up on them? They weren't made out of his sand, he didn't have a chance to touch one, and he..wasn't able to destroy them either. They just...went back into the darkness like nothing happened. Despite the screaming of his fellow guardians, another haunting scream from above caught his attention. He looked up to the sky to see the layers of clouds block out a blast of yellow, orange and red fire. Sounds of arrows were being shot by the hundreds above them and Sandy could only guess it was Eros himself. 

He couldn’t just stop and observe his spirited friend battle the nightmares. He needs to get them back to the North Pole, where it’s safer. Sanderson noticed the sleigh’s landing wasn’t far off from the North Pole, likely in between New York and Pennsylvania, so in his normal pace, it would take about 10 minutes from here to the workshop. Sanderson separated strands of sand from his cloud, placing plenty of them around the sleigh while cutting off the sick reindeer. He then flew towards Nicholas, who was still cutting down different pine trees, dashing around them without a clue. He continued to shriek about being assaulted by a bear devil as he hacked at another pine tree. Sanderson stared, hovering in one spot, and amused by the scene before him. The guardian hacked on another fallen pine tree until a squirrel appeared from the tree’s pit, maintaining a pine kernel. At this discovery, North directed the tip of his weapon at the squirrel. “Ah! Back! G-get away from me, you dirty mongrel! Haha-ah!” He jumped back from the innocent squirrel until he tried cutting it with his blade. Sanderson stopped Nicholas, wrapping strands of sand around the aged fellow, causing him and his sword to fall into the heavy snow. The guardian lifted him up onto the sleigh while Aster was still in his fearful position. Before he could get Toothiana back into the sleigh, Eros flew down to the guardians with his own sun golden eyes rover around. “Ola... we uh, we need to leave. Now before it regains strength. I’m not able to hold the demons off for long in this darkness. You going back to the North Pole?” Red wings flapped, keeping Eros steady in the air as Sanderson nodded his head. “Great. Let me help since you’re tight on guardians” The angel carried Toothiana up from the snow, white feathers falling from her torso, and set her into the sleigh. 

Quickly, the two of them flew back into the clouds, Eros shooting fire into the air, making sure that darkness was befalling on them. As they passed by the dark layers of clouds successfully, the angel could see the sun’s light from across the horizon. It was going to be sunrise soon. Eros’ eyes lit up with bits of hope in him. “Head towards Sol and her rays would force them to stay in the dark, maybe burn them to a crisp. Hue hue” He chuckled as he flew in the direction of the sun and Sanderson followed him where the light met the darkness. A barrier of a rainbow split between the two times of day as they flew towards the North Pole and back to the Arctic Circle. The nightmares and demons stayed in the darkness where the midnight sun wouldn’t shine. They didn’t bother to get burned by the sun’s rays and left the guardian’s behind, thinking they had tampered with the guardian’s fears, and went back to wherever they came from. 

Approaching through the open window of the workshop, the sleigh flew over a cloud of sand and landing on floor level of the globe room. The Yetis and Elves gathered themselves together towards the sleigh, seeing the guardians all tremble with fear except Sandman and Cupid, who held Toothiana in his arms. The angel stared up at the giant globe with a grimace. "Ah, it's been a while since I've been here. Still hate the sight of that thing. I mean it's useful in this building's construction but... Ai yai yai, that's not how earth works. How foolish can the humans be?! Has Mother Nature _seen_ this?!" Eros gestured his hand to the spinning ball as he looked back at Sandman, who took North and Bunnymund out of the sleigh. Sandy replied to images of the deity, the workshop, a thermometer, an arrow pointing up, and fire. Eros nodded. "Right. So she has...and almost set the place on fire? I see. For what?" Eros walked away from the spinning ball and laid the fairy down the floor. Sandy flew closer to him, untangling his sand threads from the sleigh to make a replica of the ruined compass over the guardian icon on the floor. The four guardians were aligned with the four tips of each diamond, leaving Jack with nothing. The angel glanced up to Sandman with a raised eyebrow. "I don't get it. She's angry over that? Does she know what this symbol is I've seen it in so many places?" Sandman only shrugged, responding with an image of Cupid, binoculars, Jack Frost and a question mark. "No, I haven't seen him at all for a while. i don't know where he could be. So Mother Nature is looking for Jack because of the sudden change in weather?" 

Sandman nodded eagerly, grateful for someone to know what he was talking about. Nicholas was suddenly shouting again, tightly secured with the sand threads, and rolling around as the Yetis were either trying to stop him or having fun rolling him about. The elves eventually played along with pushing him like a barrel. Some elves were surrounding Bunnymund, curling himself even more in a ball as the elves poked at his whitening fur. The sounds of their jingling hats nerved Toothiana as she placed her hands over her ears, grunting and scrunching her face from the noise. It was too loud, way too loud. The combination of jingling elves, laughing Yetis, a screaming Nicholas and being in a workshop of all places were taking a toll on her. Yet she didn't know what to do but curl herself up and pleading to herself to hide away. They couldn't leave her mind and she wanted to get away, but she couldn't and was trapped. More feathers were falling as they completely turned white. The elves noticed this, picking the feathers up and placing them back on the fairy. To no avail did they stay on her, the feathers just fell to the floor. Their hats continued to jingle, making it worse for her poor hearing. "Make it stop, please...". Aster was still curling himself in a ball, potential kicks and jerks were here and there. Saying that the elves that were poking him or touching him were, well, spiders. Creepy crawlers with long legs and possibly the size of a yeti. His fur wasn't falling off but the elves noticed that he was shrinking in size. It was incredible actually. Even when he was still believed in, Aster was shrinking to size. Eventually, his eyes opened in fear only once to make the elves and even Eros jump back. His jade eyes weren't yellow like Nicholas' or Toothiana's, in fact his whole eyes became black. He too was pleading to make them stop, to make the spiders or what ever was haunting him stop. 

Eros watched what was happening, and he felt...useless in the situation with what Toothiana and Aster were going through. He didn't like it. He had to get them away from the elves. Eros stood before the elves, shooing them away with a slight warning of magenta fire appear from his finger tips. "Come on now, that's enough. Stop kicking him around and continue working. We're going to find a way to fix this" The elves obeyed as they saw the fire appear from his fingertips, moving aside and leaving them be. The angel walked towards the fairy, picking her up again and turning around to see Sandman halting Nicholas from rolling around and letting two elves cover his mouth with a cloth. "Sandy, I'm going to bring her back to her palace, it's clearly too noisy in here" He glanced down to the fairy, who was still shielding her ears from all the noise of the toy building. Sanderson nodded and saluted towards the angel as he dealt with Nicholas's behavior. 

\---2/5 weeks later---

In the Pacific Ocean, the sun's rays beamed down towards the dark blue waters, reflecting the sunlight as a curiously small island drifted about on top of the sea. This small island wasn't made out of earth but entirely out of magical sand. This island was a home to no other than Sanderson himself as the guardian as he laid a drifting with no goal in mind. The guardian didn't get himself up from his island home doing his round the clock job of giving people dreams. Not good dreams per say, but dreams and visions in general. Child and adult alike receives his dreams and they go around aimlessly as they please. Instead of flying in his cloud, he basked himself in the sun's light as he aimed his dreamsand from island to island. Was he lazy? No. Sleep deprived? Not a doubt, but he sensed so many bad things were happening after his encounter with the fearlings. Enemies he hasn't seen in centuries have returned from the abyss of darkness. For what? Possibly the cause of a dreadful monster finally being released from his prison. These past two weeks were chaotic for him. The guardians were still in their delusional nightmares, the globe was flickering on and off for days and there was still no sign of the winter spirit. He still was able to cast his dream sand in hope that they would still give good dreams to humans, but the cords were being eaten by the increasing nightmares. He could hear their echoed screaming, they were all in a spell. Sanderson hated it, he hated how that fearling was right about the his light. 

What would he do without his glow? Would he die again in the hands of Pitch? No. This didn't feel like Pitch's work...maybe a stronger power was in hiding. Not in the physical world of earth, but maybe the celestial realm from above. Sanderson moved his hands over his vision to see the glow of his grainy hands. They still held celestial power, but it wasn't enough for what was happening and soon coming. Ragnarok. Maybe it was just some fear-mongering tactic to scare him off. Destruction of the earth wouldn't come so soon, it wasn't even the end of the Age yet. The guardian lowered his hand and was face to face with the sun as he laid on his grained hammock, his hand now to his chin. So why were these fearlings so active sooner than the intended end of the age? He would like to figure that out for himself, but his main problem was taking the fearlings out in some way. Disturbing his train of thought, Sanderson heard a singing voice from around and below him. 

_Ah-ah-ah-ah_

The song of a siren. Either an avian or a mermaid was calling to him. Though for his love of mermaids, his first thought was definitely a mermaid was calling about in his area. The sandy guardian joyfully stood himself up from his hammock and floated down to the surface of the sea. There he saw the four pointed symbol he's seen plenty around the world. He titled his head as the colors reflected in his eyes. The song was still alluring to him and he walked closer towards the symbol until song stopped and a voice replaced the haunting melody. Instead of the melody, it called him by his name. 

_Sanderson..._

It spoke with a hushed whisper, a women's whisper. 

_We are in grave danger..._

Said guardian blinked and nodded. Of course they were in danger. Fearlings and demons are running amok and he felt weaker as the days passed by. He could hear the children scream in their dreams and the haunting laughter of chaos. Was what he suppose to do when all of the other guardians are in the same situation as the children. There was still hope in him that Jack was alright and not caught in the nightmares. What was Pitch planning? And why is it still snowing down here? He watched the sky, spotting storm clouds planning to block the sun's warmth, to see snow and hail fall to the ocean and onto his beached island. 

_You must find the moon elf..._

Sanderson blinked and turned his attention back down to the eight-sided symbol. Moon elf? Why...he hasn't heard of one in centuries. Let alone sun elves. They never seem to like Earth, or ever come down out of curiosity, but it was in their blood to be apart of the luminaries time clock to help humanity. They could watch from the stars above and become stars themselves. Made out of pure light energy but capable to shape-shift into whatever earthling they ever liked. Sanderson placed a question mark over his head, questioned of where he could find an impossibly distant being of cold light on earth. But why would he need to find this celestial being? Maybe they could be the solution of ending this nightmare and stopping 'Ragnarok' or what ever beast is corrupting his magic. 

_That is my undoing..._

Undoing? What does she mean by that? Did this siren use Jack to make it snow like this? Sanderson placed his hand out as the snow landed in his grainy golden palm. It didn't melt at all since there was no sunshine above him now. 

_I fear. They would punish me, as they did with the humans. These storms won't hold for long. Go. Find him quickly_

The guardian nodded, his focus now in sight to find this moon elf, no matter how impossible it would be to find such a species down here. The eight-sided symbol vanished within the waters to leave no trace for him to find, and the whispered voice disappeared from his mind. With that, Sanderson flew above his now snow-tipped island and towards the east of his current location, North America. 

When he passed by America, multiple storms appeared instead of the usual tornado valley of America, it was an ice storm. Sanderson passed over the ice storms, blizzards and hail to finally find a clear view of in the night sky. The surrounding sky was empty with heavy winter clouds and unseen stars. Then he heard the screams and threats of his fellow guardian, Jack Frost, from below him. Sandy looked down to see Jack was chasing after his little tooth fairy companion, using his powers to cage and freeze her in her spot. What was he even doing?! Why was he chasing her and- he heard the winter spirit continue to use threats and eventually heard the name of their enemy. Kozmotis. Jack was officially loosing it. He was seeing things he shouldn't be seeing. Sanderson followed him as fast as the wind could carry him down below, planning to stop what he was doing. 

Eventually he saw his friend stop on top of the frozen surface of the river, covering his ears as the fog of the storm became a covering for the fairy. Inching closer to his friend, he could see Jack's hair become icicles, his skin blue and an obvious black spot behind his neck. His ears covered and elongated in ice as his staff and himself glowed with delusional fury. Sandy was behind him now, seeing the tooth fairy come out of the fog to make Jack act wild or more malicious than he thought. In a quick maneuver, the guardian took out his whips of sand and stopped him from hurting or lashing out at the innocent fairy once more. The staff dropped from his hand to the surface and more threads of sand wrapped his ankles together. Jack tripped and his sudden rage disappeared, which made Sandy question on what he was looking at exactly. 

But to his dismay, Jack Frost was caught in a nightmare and he was too late to stop it. The only safe place to be was at the North Pole, where Sol could still shine her light even when she was farther away in the wintry months of the north. The sandy guardian lifted him up and placed him on a soft cloud full of dreamsand, in hopes of him to fall asleep, and began on his journey back to the workshop. Yet when he was only 5 miles away from the town, Jack continued to rebel and screamed. Shaking and scrambling, Jack fell from the sand cloud and crashed into the river's watery depths below. 

Oh boy, how would he get Jack out of this situation? 

He could see his threads of sand surrounding Jack start to diminish and weaken in the water, becoming one with the river as the winter spirit floating close to the surface. Well at least he was asleep and not breathing in the water, if he could ever do that. The guardian of dreams moved his hands and arms, summoning sand threads of his cloud to wrap them once more around the disillusioned spirit. As he was able to lift him from the water, trails of shadows and creeping voices interrupted his action. Sandman looked around him to see the shadows with white eyes, fearlings, circle about him and the fairy before flying away into the fog of the storm. He looked out at the fog, questioned on what they were doing until he saw the fearlings continue to circle before them in a whirlwind of blackness. Then he heard a horse's neigh and a chilling laughter echoed from the whirlwind settled in front of him. 

He watched, still trying to lift Jack from the water, at the nightmare induced whirlwind grow and then shrink in size. It was still camouflaged in the fog of the storm until a silhouette appeared out of the fog and into full view. Pitch himself, sitting on his horse with fearlings of all kinds by his side, grinned at the sight of an old enemy before him. Onyx gracefully galloped on top of the ice as she moved forward with maybe 40 dark creatures following her. Sandman widened his eyes and his anger rose at the sight of him. The tall man didn't look at all scared or frightened by the sight of the 3 foot tall guardian. No. Pitch was pleased, very pleased and...possibly joyful of the sight before him. 

Yellow eyes glanced down at the guardian as the creatures moved closer to them both. "Hmm...I thought I heard my name some minutes okay, must be the wind howl. Any who, how nice it is to see you again Sandman!" Pitch chuckled at the guardian, who curled his fist in anger and would so love to punch him if he could, but he couldn't when overwhelmed demons were targeting his magic. "Though, I wish it wasn't so nice since...Ironically, you're the first to go and now you're the last one left" Pitch glanced at the winter guardian who was still floating in the water with threads of sand around him. He could see the dark spot on the back of his neck growing. "It would've been better if they all, well, cease to exist than be trapped in a nightmare. Yet I should give _some_ credit to my new allies for succeeding in that goal at least" The creatures of all kinds howled, hissed and moaned, ready to strike at the feeble guardian at any moment. Pitch raised his hand and the black demons stopped with their noises instantly. "Thanks to a certain serpent, my power is growing stronger again" 

Pitch didn't get off of his horse as Sanderson moved his arms and whips of sand appeared, about to strike the Boogieman until a wall of shadows appeared before him. The shadows that formed a barrier around Pitch took hold of the whips, elongated creeping hands and fingers reached out to Sandman. As if they want to reach for his light and take it all away like they did before. They tugged and pulled at the strings, taking hold as the gold began turning black. Sandy was being pulled towards the wall of nightmares and he struggled to pull the whips away. Their grip was stronger and their action faster. They were planning to take him in and absorb him. "I'm sure you're not afraid of death sandman. So what must you be so afraid of?" Pitch chuckled as Sanderson gritted his teeth in both anger and fear. True he was afraid, but not because of Pitch or the hoards of nightmares surrounding him, it was a bigger threat that went beyond Earth itself. 

He was told to find this moon elf, but why now of all times when Pitch's powers are strongest? Sanderson released himself from the whips and let the dark hands absorbed the dreamsand like noodles. They were indeed after his dreamsand since the darkness grew after the golden light was gone. He could see the hungry faces of nightmares with their sharp teeth and gluttonous eyes staring directly at the golden guardian. Onyx took a few steps closer towards the guardians, resulting in the wall of handy creatures thrusting multiple hands directly at the guardian. The storm continued to rage despite it's host being in a deep sleep. 

* * *

[The Warren]

“I am _telling_ you we are in grave danger! There's a horrible monster on the loose! Ow! Let me go this instant! Oof!” Pabbie struggled to break free from these stony egg warriors, who carried the old troll out of the deep tunnel and threw him towards the pyramids of colored eggs. Pabbie helped himself up to see the two warrior eggs walk towards the deep tunnel, turned around and stood there, blocking the arched doorway of the temple. He sighed, glancing up at the two stony eggs from a distance. “I assume you will do nothing then? I wasn’t trying to steal that crystal or... whatever it was from you. It must be precious to the Hare. Placing it deeper underground with such security...” It became quiet in this Oasis. No one was talking or making any sound, which equated to awkward silence for the troll. Pabbie took his wooden staff from the ground, waiting for a response from those warrior eggs. He guessed that they left him here in this wonderful realm. Alone with these eggs and a ruined civilization. To his dismay, the hare didn’t appear to take him away with the others, but at least he didn’t have to hear the other trolls running amok and causing chaos. Maybe there is another way out through the arched tunnels. Pabbie turned his head to the tunnel with the shape of Europe above it. He took a quick glance at the stone eggs before rolling himself away towards the European tunnel. Reaching the tunnel, Pabbie uncurled himself to take a peak back towards the warrior eggs to notice that they weren't following him into the tunnel. They were just guarding the entrance to the temple and that was that.

As the troll began walking further down the European tunnel, a pink and green egg hopped itself down from the top of one of the egg pyramids and landed safely on the dirt path. It moved away from its egg pyramid and followed the rock troll into the tunnel. Pabbie continued to walk into the slight darkness of the mossy tunnel, seeing giant rock eggs planted inside the tunnel and not really doing anything. They didn't notice a troll walking inside or they weren't as active and on alert as the others. He continued to glance around, admiring the arch and height of the tunnel as he questioned himself on how he would get out of the situation. "My, how long is this tunnel?" As he said that, he noticed yet another huge circular door blocking his path to the rest of the tunnel. Pabbie sighed before the detailed metal door before him. It was too high for him and he could see no handle to open it. If his troll family was still here they would help him on opening this door. Or maybe that green clad fae would help him? No. There was a portal-toy-thing with him and he was certain that the fae wasn't in this realm anymore. Neither was the hare himself. What was he going to do now? Maybe he would go back to the entrance. 

As Pabbie turned around with a small defeated expression, he then noticed a pink and green egg curiously stood behind him. He took a step back in shock but quickly regained himself at the sight of the walking egg. "Oh... it's just an egg. Why are you following me?" The little egg jumped, ran around him and then stomped its foot before jumping into the troll's hand. Before the troll a sink hole formed out of the ground which astounded him. "Are you...taking me back to Europe?" The egg bowed twice in a way of saying yes, it was insisting and helping out the lost troll. "O-okay then, um, I'm sure the hare won't mind. I just jump inside the hole and-" Pabbie stepped inside the tunnel with a scream and the hole closed itself up resulting in a flower growing from it. A fearling fled back into the shadows of the tunnel after the hole fully closed. 

\--------

Rolling through the tunnel with the egg balancing itself as he rolled, Pabbie and the egg was suddenly shot out and landed a steep hillside next to a red-roofed castle. Pabbie unrolled himself, looking out at sky and scenery, hearing hawnting howls and noises of nature around him. This wasn't Norway! There were too many trees and a European castle he's never seen before. He looked down at the egg who jumped and walked around him. "This isn't where I belong little egg. Take me back to-" footsteps and a loud howl stopped him from talking. He stiffened at the sound of a wolf and the footsteps getting louder. He could see the trees shake and move in the night wind as the moon hid itself between the bark and branches. He then saw a shadow, a sillought of his enemy reaching out for him. Pabbie held the egg close to him tightly as the yellow lights of the shadow grew longer as the moon decided to rise higher. The shadows of the castle also collided with the wolf to hide itself. 

Closer and closer the footsteps were, he could here the crunching of the snow a small distance away. Then he saw it, yellow glowing canine eyes preying in the darkness in the woods. It was going to eat him even though it was ridiculous thought that a...Nattmara...would eat a rock troll like him. This could've been his second encounter with it, but without a doubt it could be his last. Suddenly the creature pounced right for Pabbie and the troll curled itself into a rock out of fear, waiting to be devoured. 

Nothing happened. 

Pabbie waited and waited for that time, thinking of who would take his place and how this was karma for how he played with the humans mind. There was no growl, no chomping of the teeth, no claws...nothing. Then he heard a laugh, a chuckled and more crunching sounds of snow going around him. Was it..mocking him? Laughing at him for being so fearful? 

"What is this now? A rock troll? Here in Romania and by my castle? Don't be so afraid little troll. I don't eat you things, not at all" The wolf spoke, which didn't seem to matter for Pabbie, but what did was his voice. The wolf spoke more like a human than it did any other creature. The rock wobbled and uncurled itself to see the wolf before him. He caught his breath, there was still fear in him at the sight of this wolf- no werewolf- glancing down at him. The four pawed creature suddenly stood up on two feet like a man, his tail resting in the snow as his yellow eyes looked at the troll with amusement and question. "Uh..y-your not willing to?" The strange thin werewolf chuckled, a canine tooth popping out of his lips. "Oh heavens no. For a second, I thought you were a rabbit or a squirrel since you...came out of a hole?" The tall werewolf peaked behind the troll and around him, he swear he saw a rabbit's hole before but now it was gone. 

The werewolf suddenly went back down on all fours and circled the troll, sniffing him as said troll didn't move an inch as the egg was still in his hands. "A rock troll like you belongs up north don't you?" The werewolf stopped sniffing and stood himself up again, his canine claws behind his back, waiting for an answer. Pabbie stared and exhaled, getting back his courage. "I-yes! Yes. Up north...I don't know why I'm brought here but-" cracking was heard below him and the troll looked down at his feet. The wind blew harder than expected and his rocky toes were starting to become permafrost. The rock troll shivered violently as the werewolf didn't seem phased by the odd weather. In fact, he looked questioned on why this northern rock troll was shivering from this winter snow. "Cold?" Pabbie nodded. "But you're from up north, you're used to long months of cold winter. Why the panic?" 

"Mountain trolls hide in caves for the winter, in its extreme we move to a-another area. We are not frost trolls that's immune to this weather" The little egg jumped down and landed it's small feet in the snow. It was jumping from the cold of icy snow. The werewolf watched the moving egg walk and jump onto the troll's grassy head. "Hmm...fine then, come with me to the castle. It's warmer inside then out here" Pabbie saw the canine beast turn himself around and started walking on all fours again. Pabbie, despite getting frosted extremely quickly, was hesitant to trust a werewolf bringing him to that old castle. Yet he followed anyway since he could become frozen in seconds. 

"Thank you but, why are you helping me? Werewolfs don't help other creatures. But I sense you're a... friend" The beast chuckled as they followed a path that lead to the castle, Pabbie could see more blinking yellow eyes blending in the blackness of the forest as they walked. "Do you have a name?" "Skreevlick Shadowbent, but you can call me Shadowbent" "Shadowbent?" "I am named that for I lurk in the shadows of the night, watching intensely" They were getting closer to the castle and the frost crept from his toes to his feet. "Intensely? For what?" 

"For night prowling demons...it's gotten worse these days with this peculiar weather pattern and a non stop hoard of nightmares. Heard from town below they were screaming even louder then our howling. What were they screaming about? Dreams that haunted the night and in a way, paralyzed with fear. Poor souls couldn't sleep for days and winter is as bad enough as it is" "You're talking about the humans?" Shadowbent nodded and stood himself up as they approached the high doors of the castle. Opening the doors, the two creatures went inside and two more werewolves closed them from the winter winds. 

Pabbie could see it was indeed an old castle, torn rugs and drapes. Cracked stairs and paintings fallen from their places. He could see more wolves looming about them, ever so watching the troll. They're colored black as coal with a few gray spots of fur here and there. Not ordinary wolves in the woods, but black as shadows themselves with eyes of different colors. Shadowbent continued to walk on two feet, his claws behind his back as he walked further into the castle. "Don't be alarmed by them, they're just watching for the enemy. This castle was abandoned for years until we took it as our home. Now humans wanted to visit this castle because well...vampires are all the rage these days" The head werewolf rolled his eyes and he himself in on the old dusty stairs like a human would. He leaned on his elbow, watching the troll and little egg look around the columns and high doors. Pabbie took steps closer to the werewolf who looked, well, annoyed at this situation. The winter wind then howled once again outside of the castle and screams of humans could be heard by where they stood. Shadowbent rubbed his eyes as if this happened for so long. 

The screaming of the men grew louder as they grew closer and suddenly the doors of the castle became guarded by two big werewolves. They held the door, getting ready for an ambush of poor illusioned humans. "W-what is going on?" the troll asked as he stood in front of Shadowbent. "Another potential ambush, this has been going on for... 2 weeks at most? *sigh* heavily stubborn and fear-stricken those men are. I don't know if I should feel sorry for them or for myself" "I'm..quite confused on what's going on Shadowbent. Why are they attacking you werewolves?" "Those poor souls think that I, Shadowbent, is considered one of those bloodsucking bafoons. I barely take the risk of even talking to those men in a civil manner. Used for having them around, coexisting, and suddenly they turn against you. They think that I'm also the cause of all of this...Nattmara itself" Pabbie turned his attention from the door to the tired werewolf. 

He did, in a way, look like the shadow creature with his black fur and eyes golden. Yet Shadowbent and Nattmara had a clear contrast: one is a human-wolf beast, the other is a spirit of nightmares. Maybe for both trolls and humans alike. No mortal could see the black spirit, mortals were blinded by a bigger force, yet other spirits could clearly see them roam about and stay in the corners where light doesn't shine. "You...do look like the spirit... n-not meaning to be rude of course!" Shadowbent glanced down at the troll who panicked at the wolf's stare. The old werewolf glumly sighed as he laid back on the steps. "It's alright troll. Maybe I do have a connection to that demon in looks but I know its not my doing-" Shadowbent stood himself up from the stairs and started walking upon them. "-Come with me old troll" The wolf's clawed hand gestured for Pabbie to follow him "It might not be important to you, but it could be useful in the future. Keep the door locked and keep watch over the poor souls! Make sure they don't get crafty. Scare them if you have too!" He ordered his brethren as he walked up the steps. The wolves, in light speed, left to their positions around the castle. 

The two creatures walked through the halls of the second floor, passing old and torn paintings of Romanian kings, and entered into a room full of old books and webbed shelves. They in the castle's library. Shadowbent closed the door behind them both and went towards an old dusted book shelf with equally dusted books. Using one clawed finger, Shadowbent pointed to each book before him. "I read about you Scandinavian trolls... Taking away children and a use of mind control over them... lets see-uh... no. no...ah! Here it is!" Shadowbent counted the books, reading the title before he tipped out a thin black booklet. The werewolf placed the booklet over a table with the egg curiously watching him on the desk. The title of the booklet was called "Nightmares and Nixies".

"Some ice spirit came here 2 centuries ago with a bundle of books. Said she needed to hide these books from the 'government'. I didn't comprehend on what she was saying. What was a government and why a spirit of all creatures decided to come here. I almost declined her offer but she insisted that those books contains spells and secrets that, in the future, would be in the hands of powerful foes. I sensed in her she was a good spirit and meant well. Since then these books haven't been moved, but I've read a few here and there" Shadowbent opened the thin booklet that showed runes and pictures of Scandinavian creatures. That included the Nattmara itself. 

Some ice spirit...Oh! He was talking about Elsa. Hmm. He hasn't seen her in centuries. "So what is it you want to show me?" "Here. Nattmara in it's true form. It says you trolls get scared of this spirit's howl, even though maras can shape shift into anything, including the fears of man and animal alike" Shadowbent pointed to picture of a black misty creature with arrows pointing to many different forms it could take. A human women, a wolf, objects, a horse etc. Another held a screaming black and yellow eyed man with more runes. The next page was ripped out from the booklet. A few more pages were ripped and torn before the last page of the thin book showed a tall human figure silhouetted in black. Yellow eyes with elongated ears and a staff stood out to the troll. There was a poem written next to the mysterious figure that Pabbie could easily read. 

> _Beware an elf, whom lurks in the night._
> 
> _An elf of fear, a creature to fright_
> 
> _Powerful is he, when he is in sight_
> 
> _To engulf and devour, an enemy of light_

"There's a lot of pages missing. Did one the wolves tor them out!?" Shadowbent flipped through pages of the booklet again and sighed. He closed the booklet and pinched his eyes in disappointment. "I told them to not mess with the books and what do they do? Start ripping pages like a- like a dog" He picked up the book with another sigh. "Ah, there was a solution to stopping the creature. I was going to give it to you but..as fate would have it, most unlikely" He growled as he turned back around and placed the booklet back into the shelf. "A-a solution to stop an enemy like that?" "Yes. Sadly. The exact page was ripped with _dog slobber_ " Shadowbent gritted his teeth as he picked out another book from a different shelf. "I told them to get themselves food in the woods for the winter like always, but no. Pour souls have the urge to come to my castle and declare _me_ the target of their nightmares: vampires. Disgraceful" Another book was opened, skimmed, and placed back in the shelf. 

Pabbie watched the old werewolf go from shelf to shelf-book to book, looking for a solution or an open page of some sort. "If they decided to even eat those pages, then I would throw them to the humans. Valuable information that spirit gave me and it's gone! _Urgh_ if I wasn't cursed in this wretched form then-" Cursed? Pabbie took a step forward but stopped as the werewolf growled louder, clawing his hands in anger. "-I could use Revolute and slash that demon myself! Arooo!" There was that instant need to howl as he grew angry. He started getting out of hand when those same claws snatched books from shelves and littering the floor with them. "C-calm down Shadowbent, I-i'm afraid you're going to lure it-them here" The troll took a fallen book in his hands and shielded himself with it. That's when he noticed the front cover of the book he held: 

Vikings and  Valkyries

opening the book in a random page, he came up to a picture of Yggdrasil. Drawn with color and markers of the realms around it. Sticky notes and pictures were added to the two pages, showing where each realm was. It was peculiar, why was a book like this in Romania? Maybe it was a copy. The writings were still printed in runes and arrows continued to point at what they described. Even with the sun and moon. Earth was in the middle, he knew that. Pabbie placed the book down, away from the chaos the werewolf created. The egg was by his side, making sure it was kept safe. The troll turned a page and saw images upon images of elves. What looked like elves. Bright starlight. Futhark runes on each drawing. Viking boats and tall jagged mountains behind them. There was one page that held drawings and writings of the sun and moon together with little light elves by their side. He turned another page to see a folded page taped to it. 

The library became quiet once again as Shadowbent calmed himself down. "I'm sorry about, you know how hunger goes. Haven't eaten for the past two days and-what are you reading?" golden eyes looked down to see the troll un-tape the folded paper from the book. "I wasn't reading anything, but this caught my interest" "The light elves?" He pointed one particular picture of an a glowing blue and white elf standing by the base of the world tree. "No. this piece of paper" Pabbie un-folded the paper to reveal more words and a picture of a curved sword. 

"Is this Revolute?" He handed Shadowbent the piece of paper. He took a good look at the image and widened his eyes. "N-no. This isn't Revolute. You should know about Revolute. You're a mountain troll" "Mountian trolls have little to do with that sword. I do recall it's a viking sword" "A viking sword yes, and the solution to take down Nattmara. This...this isn't Revolute. This is a moon sword" Pabbie and the egg both titled their heads in question as they saw Shadowbent pick up the book and skimmed through every page of book. He closed the book and shoved it away from him on the table. "Are you alright?" "Clearly not" He sat back against the chair, again he pinched the bridge of his nose. "The moon sword...i'm not even sure where that is. The vikings clearly...*sigh* maybe _he_ already has it? Tonight I don't need anymore troubles" 

The door of the library opened, revealing another werewolf of his kind. "Sir, the humans! The-they say they want to get rid of us for good, they brought more men" The werewolf looked worried of the outcome which confused the leader of their pack. "So? We've pushed them back before plenty of times. Why the look?" "T-they have more weapons" "Weapons?" Before the werewolf could respond, a boom was heard and the whole castle shook. Another boom and Shadowbent could see smoke and debris flying from tall windows. "B-bombs-" Another loud shake and another blast came from elsewhere. Books and curtains fell from their place and the werewolf duck in cover. He could here the doors being rammed open and another explosion from down below. A hoard of screaming men charged themselves through the halls. "A-and cannons"

"Well shit. They've gotten tougher. This is no place for a troll. Here" Quickly, Shadowbent slid the book from the table to the ground where Pabbie hid under. "Take the book with you, it's worth information. Egg. Take him as far away as you can from here. Where there is help" He pointed to the egg who stood upright and before the troll. The egg nodded. Another blast came from behind them and the werewolf closed the door, shielding with his body. "H-hurry sir!" "Troll. You need to find Revolute and the moon sword. End this chaos-" The door to the library was smashed open, revealing a group of men with yellow eyes screaming and armed with weopons of destruction. "Go!" 

Immdiently, the egg tapped its foot and a rabbit hole appeared. Pabbie held the book close to him and he fell with the egg right behind him. The hole closed up before the table was flipped over. Now what remained were two werewolves and a group of humans. They continued to scream and began shooting. "Oho. Crafty creatures you are. You want this castle? You have to get through my hunger phase. No-one likes it when I'm hungry" Shadowbent began charging with snarls and clawed fingertips. "Maybe I'll make you my next _meal_!" He charged right at the pour souls. 

* * *

Pabbie kept rolling, rolling and rolling through different tunnels. Every which way until he became dizzy and stopped himself and the egg in the middle of a fork in the burrows. "Hmm...Where should we go little egg?" Pabbie stared at the three individual tunnels branching out from the main tunnel. "This is a realm I'm not familiar with...I wonder" Pabbie opened the Vikings and Valkyries book to find any answers. The page that he opened up was a page of Svartalfheim, an underground world full of dwarfs and dirty creatures. It was.. in close proximity to these tunnels, but the Warren felt like some other separate oasis and away from civilizations of dwarfs. With the petroglyphs in the temple, the Hare's clean species looked like a dire contrast to the dwarfs dirtiness. "Ah, this doesn't tell me anything and...I'm worried if we end up in too far north where that...titan remains" Pabbie placed the book down to flip through the pages, but that was a fatal mistake on his part. The book began to slip and slide downwards, gaining ahead of the troll in surprise. "Oh no no no. That book is important! Catch up to it!" Pabbie began sprinting with his stubby feet as the egg ran to the book in panic. Too slow was the troll going after an old book, and he started rolling once again. That, too, was a fatal mistake. 

Pabbie managed to stop the book from sliding down slope in success, but that was short lived. He began sliding down the tunnel with the book in a matter of seconds. The egg followed suit. They continued on like this until there was another fork in the road and the book was separated from them both. This was bad, Pabbie had to do something, maybe roll down the tunnel that aimed towards the surface and take the book back. That failed. Instead of rolling down, he rolled upwards. And upwards and eventually reached the surface of the earth, or where ever he may be. 

The book was lost in the tunnels of the earth and he had no idea where the egg took him. 

Where he landed the sun was up yet blocked by heavy clouds. He felt himself lay on the snow and the hole closed from under him. He spotted a tree, a fence was behind him and- an annoying flash of light blinded his eyes. He heard a gasp in front of him. 

"T-Troll! Oh my god. J-Jamie!" 


	26. Superstitious Winter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sophie follows a creature  
> Jamie meets a British man  
> Pabbie tries to find a way back, but a ghost stops him

[January 16, 2028]

[Burgess, Pennsylvania]

*-Snow continues to fall in both the east and west coast of the United States, temperatures falling -10 degrees-* 

*-and all of the North America including the South is witnessing this miraculous ice storm-* 

*- It's incredible of what's happening with our earth. A possible series of climate changes we can't even predict-* 

*-well it could be the end times for all we know. First the scorching heat and now the snow. God could be mad at us or some-*

*-Looking at this video from Norway, one of Svalbard's biggest glaciers fully collapsed into the ocean weeks ago and a man managed to record the action during a snow storm. He stated the collapse was very similar to the one in the "Chasing Ice" glacier in Greenland. His next major concern was how long will the Thwaites glacier in west Antarctica last-*

*-Mother Nature can be unpredictable, first summer than poof it's winter! Completely skipped fall. My cousins in England says that snow is quite rare for them-* 

*-It's HAARP, it has to be HAARP. They're the one's controlling the weather-*

Sophie flicked through the channels of the TV, sitting down on the carpet of the living room, her green eyes filled with boredom as it reflected what was on the screen. Her blond locks in a ponytail as she leaned back with one hand pressed behind her on the ground. Today is a cloudy and yet again another snow day, but at least the east coast wasn't the only location with heavy snowfall and possible ice storms. Practically everywhere on earth was snow fall after snowfall, blizzard after blizzard. The snow was piling up. Each news podcast she switched to told about this global ice age that was happening. Even the warmest of countries in the equator had snowfall. She wondered if it was really God's doing and asked why this was happening in her head. The people on the news worried about food, work and transportation. All the airlines were closed but the wifi was still strong. Today's snowstorm wasn't as bad as last week and school is going to start up again next week. 

Sophie placed the remote on the floor and picked herself up from the carpet. She went to the shelf full of movie DVDs, thinking that Netflix didn't have anything special this month, and picked out a few disks. She laid them on the carpet before the TV as the living room light flickered from the weather. Narnia, Atlantis and Polar Express, oh what would she watch? Sophie sighed, tapping her fingers on her thigh as she sat looking down at all three movies while the program continued to talk. Decisions Decisions. 

"What are you watching?" Sophie heard the voice of her grandmother coming from the kitchen behind her. She heard both her feet and cane getting louder until the old women stood next to her, eyes on the news. "Oh you know, the news" She didn't look up to see her grandmother sit herself down on the rocking chair and placing her cane against a table. "Doesn't sound very exciting" Sophie chuckled, palm under her jaw, still scanning at all three movies. "What doesn't these days? All they talk about is the negative stuff, no positivity anywhere with them. Mostly everything on those channels are boring" Sophie then picked up the TV remote, lifted her eyes back up to the news channel and flicked the screen off. The living room became quite except for winter snow. 

"Wait-wait, turn it back on" "Why? There's nothing good on it" "The one about the glacier" "..." She turned the TV back on with the remote and the screen showed a man with a video on the side. The video was indeed about some glacier's collapse. Well, it caught her interest for the most part until she switched the channel to something else. Now her grandma wanted to know what was happening. "What a huge glacier...and all the way in the north" Her grandma commented as the reporter holding a piece of paper continued to talk. 

*Apparently this ice cap is the known largest in the Spitzbergen region of the Archipelago. One of the largest ice caps in Europe and the seventh largest in the world fully collapsed 2 1/2 weeks ago as this ice storm hit the nations. It's an odd event that happened in the mist of winter and scientists are trying to find out how this glacier collapsed on itself. They reported that the aftermath of the glacier's calving resulted in slush and sheets of icebergs in the sea. It wasn't until the storm finally calmed down that the natives living in the part of the area noticed the catastrophic event and its aftermath. "It's crazy", one glacier expert commented "I mean, I've kept track of the glacier for years and I knew the ice was going to completely calve eventually but this... this is just too fast and unexpected, and it wasn't from the summer heat nor blizzard at all. The worse thing is the massive ice sheets are just floating around in both Barents and Norwegian sea. We-we got to be watchful over these glaciers and possible floods in the future, figure out if the land is more habitable. I can understand parts of the cap to calve but all of it in one day?" the man shook his head in disbelief "What's the reason for it? Is this God's doing? First the global ice storm and now this. It's bizarre. I-I really have no idea"* The video ended and another image appeared on the screen of the ice shelfs of Greenland. The reporter kept talking about another video and Sophie was bored. 

She took the remote again in her hand and after turning the news off again, her grandmother commented about the event. "Spitzbergen? Now where did I hear that before?" Sophie shrugged her shoulders and finally picked out a movie to watch in her hand: Narnia before placing the disk inside the DVD player. "I don't know. We're watching Narnia today" Sophie sat back down on the carpet and started playing the movie. The old women kept on wondering and thinking of where in the world she heard the name Spitzbergen before until the movie showed the white witch riding in her sleigh with the little boy eating Turkish delights. 

"Man, those look good, I want some of those. Hey grandma can we try making those when winter ends?" Sophie turned her head to her grandma who stared at the screen of the white witch, her eyes wide as if she finally figured it out. "Grandma?" "The Snow Queen!" "Uh...okay?" Her grandma then turned to Sophie with her old eyes glistening like she remembered a story. A story from her own childhood. "It's coming back to me now, I used to read a book when I was a child about a winter women. She was the cause of the winter chills and the blizzards, living in a castle made of ice and never coming out. Her home was guarded with creatures made of snow and and impossible to get into-" "Wait wait wait. You're telling me that an ice women was the cause of winter? Not just being apart of nature? Or Mother Nature? Or God?" "Well, Sophie, it was a book from the 1840s, I'm sure there were superstitious people from that time" 

"I'm surprised you know what superstitious even means. Jamie would love that book. It could fit his huge collection of mythology" "Well, do you believe trolls exist?" Sophie sighed with a smile "I don't know. Should I? Mythology is just some sort of exaggerated explanation on why so-and-so happens and occurs. I don't know why he believes in stuff like that so...passionately. That troll book he got just fueled those flames even higher" Her grandmother chuckled as Sophie continued to complain. "Even worse his girlfriend is in on it! I mean, I haven't seen her that much but Jamie talks about her all the time. Like. He was talking about how they believed Santa being Russian-" "You still believe in Santa, not to mention the Easter Bunny" Sophie blushed out of embarrassment as her grandmother continued to laugh. "Okay, I do.. s-somewhat, BUT Easter is the same as Passover, and church is still relevant I guess-" "Oh, I remember you and Jamie loved egg hunts when you were little. always saying hop-hop, you were so excited" "That was years ago grandma. I don't do that anymore. Now let's continue the movie" Sophie un-paused the scene where the boy rode away with the White Witch. 

They kept watching in silence until her grandma spoke. "Speaking of trolls, I've remember in the book that they carried an evil mirror. The mirror cracked one day as it fell to the earth and broke into pieces. When it falls into a humans eyes, they see all the ugliness in the world and their hearts are cold as ice" Sophie stopped the movie again, interested about what she was telling. "How did the mirror brake?" "By angels laughter and God's light, the further the trolls went to heaven, more cracks appeared and they all fell back to the earth" Sophie wanted to doubt that story, but it was only a fairy tale book anyway. Maybe it was trying to explain why humans are so hateful towards each other? "Why trolls?" Her grandmother shrugged as her eyes were still on the paused movie. "I don't know really. Maybe it's because they're ugly looking?" Sophie chuckled at that comment "Did the trolls ever get the pieces back?" "Can't remember, but it did recall a boy having a piece of that glass in his eye and he left with the queen just like in the movie" Her grandma pointed to the scene of the white witch again as well as the boy being prisoned in her castle. 

Sophie nodded at the screen in front of her in understanding "Huh...so it was based off of the book"

"Seems like it. Alright. I'm done talking now"

" _Thank you_ " Sophie sighed and resumed the movie. 

\------

_All she could see was a blinding light in her vision, she was standing before the pond in their neighborhood but it...wasn't her neighborhood. The dirt path was gone and the houses behind her were replaced with thickened pine trees. So, so many pine trees she didn't even count. She noticed it was day time and the blinding light in her view was the sun. She was running then, away from the knowing bond and into the forest. She was laughing but it wasn't her voice. The voice wasn't her own laughter. She ran and saw that her dress was old and worn out. Where was she going? What was she running away from? Her view switched, her head turned back to an old brown cabin situated right next to the pond. She heard a male's voice behind her. "Hey! Wait up haha!" She saw a man in a brown cloak running after her with a bright smile on his face. Were they playing tag? Or were they going somewhere else? She didn't know, but she instantly knew that this person was a family member. "Come on Jack!" This voice screamed to her brother. "You got to see what I found!" she pointed into the woods and he followed her even quicker. From playful to panic, she watched her 'brother' get closer to her, running faster to her, trying to catch up to her. His chocolate brown eyes full of worry. What was wrong with him?_

_"A-ana come back here! N-not too far!" 'Jack' yelled out, his voice was indeed full of worry. He was scared for her and she didn't know where she was going. Her view changed from behind her to in front. The forest. She was running further into the forest and now she realized she was going to where 'They' were. Who were 'they'? All she wanted was to show her 'brother' a red and orange feather she found, or even a shiny rock she couldn't even move. The girl she was didn't listen to her brother and the figures between the trees weren't 'them' but it revealed to be something more sinister, more scarier. Trolls._

\-----

Sophie jolted her eyes open and sat up from her bed, looking at the dresser in front of her as she took quick breathes. She stared out of the window, a cloudy day, it wasn't snowing anymore. That-that was good. She saw her nightlight by her bed still on despite the lamp light illuminating her room. It-it was just a bad dream, another bad dream. It started out as warm and happy and then it turned scary. She sighed to calm herself down and mumbled in annoyance. "Tsk...trolls. Why did I have to listen to grandma. It's just a fairy tale book for crying out loud. No snow queen, no snow creatures, no magic and certainly no trolls..." her room was quiet and she realized her phone was on right next to her bed. Picking up her phone, Sophie saw an article on the Natives and the Vikings. Ah...she was really reading that. Oh damn, it refreshed and now she has to find where she left off. 

The teenager started scrolling with her thumb, eyes on her phone and completely unaware of her surroundings. When she was close to her stopping point, she noticed movement from the corner of her eye. Something moved by the window. Sophie widened her eyes, fear crept up in her mind and then she shook her head. Illusions, it was nothing. She saw the time on her phone: 5:20 PM and probably thought three o-clock was a great time to sleep. The cloudy and snowy day totally confused her sleeping schedule, but who would sleep at five in the afternoon? Probably parents. When she finally found her reading position she continued reading aloud. 

"Three weeks later, a large group of Skraeling appeared and there was a battle with the Norse. In the Initial attack the Skraeling drove the Norse back but Freydis-" 

There was another movement by the window with the banging of the winter wind. She really has to cover that window, it was getting darker outside and she didn't feel safe. Sophie placed her phone down on her bed and got herself up. When she took the strings of her blinders in her hand and looked out the window, she froze in place. Looking down from her room to the backyard when she she saw it. This round, rocky creature covered in hair with a big nose and crystals on its neck showed up in the middle of the backyard. It was moving, looking around and about. Sophie couldn't believe her eyes. She shook her head. No. No. It was nothing. There was nothing there. There was absolutely no weird creature in her backyard. She opened her eyes again to and saw that, in fact, the creature was still there. What-what was she going to do? Go down and investigate? Sure. She could do that. Make sure it wasn't some strange troll like the ones in Jamie's book? Yeah give your brother more fuel for his strange fire why don't you. 

The girl took her phone and quickly captured a picture on her phone of the troll. The picture was blurred from the thick glass of her bedroom. There were smudges everywhere on her window and she didn't notice? Not to mention the frost covering most of the creature didn't help either. Her friends were going to call her a laughing stock or something, that they didn't believe her and just give her labels. That was a nightmare she didn't want to come to life. _Oh they're not your real friends Soph._ She could hear Jamie's words in her head. _Real friends stick to you even in the most craziest of times. Call you crazy and they still hang out with you. Like me and Caleb._ Sophie sighed at the image and deleted it. 

Yeah but for how long? The girl watched the creature from her bedroom and decide to know what it really was. She then took her phone and went out of the door, down the stairs, past the kitchen table and out the back door with her mind pacing with both belief and doubt in her mind. It had to be nothing and she was going crazy with lack of sleep. It had to be some sort of creature and she wanted to prove to the world of what she saw. It could just be an illusion Sophie. You don't really believe in what grandma and Jamie says. They're just myths. They're just myths. They're just fake!

There can't be an ugly troll in her backyard! 

Sophie opened the backdoor to the yard, her phone's flashlight on and illuminating the darkness of the night. Her breathe heavy as the cold tickled her skin and a fog of warm air seen in the night. Her eyes widened as the flashlight illuminated the thing in the dark. Short, stout, rocky skin, grassy hair, pointed ears and a huge nose. She gasped as her and the creature froze at the revelation of what was happening. 

There's an ugly troll in her backyard! 

The first thing she thought was Jamie's book and the man himself. He-he has to come see this! This-this thing is real! Jamie would believe her, but before that, she snapped a picture of the troll that stared directly at the phone as fast as she could just in case it leaves.

"Troll...J-Jamie! Come here quick!" Sophie yelled, hoping her brother would hear her and know what to do, but she knew she had to go back inside or she would freeze. So she went back inside and closed the door, running back up the stairs as quick as possible to Jamie's room and banged the door. "Jamie open the door! There's a tro-" His door squeaked open and the whole room was dark. There was no-one in the room besides countless of books, posters, sticky notes and electronics. Where...where was Jamie? 

Sophie shook her head and went further into his room. _No. Forget Jamie. I need his strange troll book_. It was a ridiculous idea she just thought about. Get that book, open it up and find if it had mirror shards and keep the troll in her sight of view. It really did sound like a stupid idea. Trolls with evil mirrors. Haha, what was grandma talking even about? Yet her nightmare did have them look more scarier so she was cautious. Sophie turned on his light and looked everywhere for that old book. Under the bed, on his sheets, under the pillow, on his desk, in the shelves and also in the closet. Nothing. It was nowhere in sight. He took it with him didn't he? Oh that nerd. 

"Sophie? Sweetie what are you doing in Jamie's room? You know he's still at work" Her mother walked up to her from her own bedroom. Sophie turned around to meet her mother who had bags under her eyes and, to her guess, didn't sleep that much. "He's at work? I thought he was done" "Well he just called me and said he's working late today" "But...it's Saturday" her mother shrugged "The mall reopened. What do you need Jamie for?" Sophie stopped in thought. If she was going to tell her the truth, that a troll was currently hiding out in their backyard, her mom would think she was having a lack of sleep or going insane. Well, better safe than sorry. "There's a troll in our backyard" 

Her mother blinked twice, holding her arms "A troll? Oh! You mean our neighbor's Halloween decorations? They don't really don't take those back inside even after the holiday past. So they left one in our backyard?" Sophie slowly nodded. "Well it wouldn't hurt if you can give it back to them. When you're doing that, can you _please_ tell them to not throw things into our backyard? It's been happening for weeks now" Again the teenager nodded "Good, I'm getting a headache just from their dogs. Going back to bed" and watched her mother walk back to her bedroom while holding her head. 

Halloween decoration...right. It wasn't a real, breathing rock troll in the backyard, it was just one of those decors that _look_ like ugly trolls.... 

She shook her head, took her slippers and coat, went downstairs and back out into the winter weather. Her phone still on her as the flashlight moved back to where this...decoration...was located. Her heart pumped loudly as the light illuminated the spot. The-the troll was gone. It was right there and now it was gone. Great. She hit her forehead like an idiot. Keep the troll in her view or it would run away. Why does she even care about this superstitious nonsense? Jamie could have rubbed off on her and now _she_ believes trolls and any other creature exists. What next to suddenly show up, a talking snowman made out of magic? Hah, yeah right. Lack of sleep was making her see things that don't exist. Damn nightmares. 

"*sigh* Fine. Let's see if they threw shit in our yard again" Sophie walked down the steps and onto the snowy ground, her slippers crunching the snow and her flashlight lighting up the path before her. Reaching the fence, she looked around for any sign of unwanted toys, bending down in the snow, looking up at the tree, around a giant rock, in the sides of the broken fence--wait. Sophie flashed her phone directly to the oddly big rock situated close to the tree. Since when did a huge rock get here? In all her years living in the same house, you'd expect to know everything. There was certainly no random giant rock in the backyard. Her suspicion grew when she walked closer to the rock, seeing green covered moss all over the top of it. What a pretty old rock. Her eyes squinted as the light didn't waver from the rock and she was now an inch away from it. 

In a way she wanted to touch the old rock, but why would she want to touch such an old, mossy dirty thing? "It's so...old and-" she leaned closer to the rock, her senses heightened and she could smell the odor. The rock had a fleshy dirt like smell. Ew. It reeked. Why? "Argh it smells like rotten eggs!" She held her nose as she backed away yet the light was still on the rock. 

She didn't know what happened next, but all she remembered was seeing the rock literally move on it's own and showed the same troll. It spoke with a defensive look in his eyes pointed a rocky finger at her while she screamed in fright. She backed away, tripped on a tree root, and fell backwards into the snow, looking up at the cloudy day as her phone flew out of her hands and the flashlight flickered about. The signal of light caused the neighbors dogs to bark and the lights of their house turned on. 

She didn't open her eyes when she heard her neighbor get out the house to see what was happening. She could hear his voice from over the fence, looking over. He was asking her if she was all right. "Hey. Hey kid are you alright?" She didn't know, was she alright? The teen managed to open her eyes and sat herself up to see the eyes of her neighbor looking down at her from fence. She didn't speak, only frightened. The...the troll was again no where in sight, but she saw it. She-she _saw_ it, _talking_ to her, and it smelled like _eggs_ of all things. "What are you doing out here? What was that scream?" Well, she fell and hit her head on the ground. Why else would she scream besides, I don't know, _seeing an impossible myth right in front of her_!? Sophie finally calmed down her heartbeat and stared at her curious neighbor. "...I-I uh...did you happen to throw your stuff back here again?" The man shifted his eyes in thought and then shook his head. "No amigo, I did say I was sorry for thinking your yard was a dump and I did promise to not throw things in your yard" "Oh...good. Also did you happen to leave a troll like decoration here? You haven't brought those in I guess" "...No. They're all covered in snow" Sophie took an awkward breath and nodded. "...Okay...Goodnight then" _Please leave._ she thought. 

The man nodded and he was thankfully out of her sight. She again was left alone in the dark. Well there goes that excuse of 'Halloween-decoration' troll thrown out the window. The girl stood herself up and finally found her phone. There was another picture taken of the troll with a worried expression on its face as it reached out to her. It was half lit by the flashlight so only half of him was shown. She sighed. This was her only evidence that...mythical creatures exist. Well this was proof of a troll by her house, now the troll was out of site again. Well, the first thing she should do is show this to Jamie, he would love this, but she wanted to find the troll for herself and know how it got here in the first place. If she told this anyone, no-one would believe her, well possible Jamie and grandma...and she was fine with that. 

Sophie got herself back up, wiping the cold snow off of her pants and hair, and walked around the backyard again. Another search resulted in her finding a cracked egg in the same place where the rock troll was, and then she saw movement to her right. She flashed the light to the direction of the broken fence. It was still moving like something just used it. Her thought process came to the conclusion that the creature must of used it since the wind didn't pick up. Maybe it was trying to escape towards the pond and back into the woods, but, did it really come from the woods? Well maybe in the deeper unknown parts of the forest lived even more of those trolls. Yet, there was no news that rock trolls ever existed in the forest. The only time she heard of trolls was that they lived in Europe. She shook her head and decided to dial her brother, maybe he had some answer to this. 

\-------

Jamie's phone continued to buzz in a separate chair behind the counter of the book store. He wasn't even near the counter but by the shelves, reorganizing and looking at labels to see where they belong. "Dang, I didn't realize he wrote this book" He looked at a hard cover of The Trials of Apollo and scanned the spine of the book. He didn't know if his interest increased or decreased by the look of the Disney logo plastered at the very bottom. His only response was "Ugh. Disney" and he placed the book in its rightful position on the shelf. "I think that's the last of them...man, 5:24 already. It's kind of lonely without Caleb here...Wonder how Elizabeth's doing with her visions...God I'm bored" Jamie mumbled to himself as he bent down to pick up a box and place it somewhere else. Since the mall reopened after the storm people were coming back and his boss decided to give him a weekend shift just incase customers came in later for the book sale. Caleb left early because he had a stomach pain and now Jamie plus another employee was left in the bookstore. It was already nightfall, well it looked like it anyway. 

"Now I just have to put this away and wait for closing-" he told himself as he took the box in his hand and noticed some one was in front of him. This man wore a black open trench coat and a stylish uniform. It. It was an odd outfit to wear especially in winter. He had white gloves and chains connected to his vest, Jamie noticed that. The man was looking at the books he just placed away with interest in his gray eyes. He did look British...and dressed like them too. Jamie didn't say anything to the man since he just...popped out nowhere in his field of vision. The man did look oddly suspicious. They both were quiet for a minute until this British looking man turned his head and noticed him. "Oh am I in your way?" Yep. British accent. 

Jamie blinked and suddenly realized how rude he was, staring at him. "Uh...no! No you're not. I'm was just about done anyway-" "Oh yes, I wanted to ask you about something" "What is it?" "There's this book I'm looking for, it's... a special type of book" "Well I don't really know about special, can you give a certain genre? I could find it for you" Jamie walked out of the aisle and the British man followed behind him, watching the employee place the empty box down with the rest of the boxes. "That would be helpful" Jamie turned around to face the tall man, seeing he was playing with a ring over his gloves. Why wear a ring over your gloves? It should be under the gloves. He walked around the tall man and headed to the middle of the bookstore. "What type of book is it?" "Its...a fantasy book, well more of mythos type of novel" Jamie nodded slowly. "Ever tried the mythos section?" "I have but I couldn't find the one I'm looking for" "Did you try another bookstore? Or the library around the town? I'm sure they have more books about the topics. What type of mythology anyway?" "Norse mythology" Jamie nodded as his eyes lit up. 

"Oh. Are you a fan of Norse Mythology?" The British man glanced away. It looked like he didn't know how to answer. "...Yes...Pardon me if that sounds strange but-" "Oh no it's not strange at all, I have a love for mythology too" The man chuckled "Really now? Are you familiar with Yggdrasil?" "Yggdrasil? Oh the world tree! Yes I've read about it in different websites. A Viking's tale" The British man nodded, looking somewhere else and not directly at Jamie. "Yes, yes.. A Viking's tale. Are there any books with Futhark runes inside?" 

"Uh...Futhark runes? I really don't know. Let me go ask my boss about that. You can stay by the counter since we are closing in about-" Jamie looked down at his watch and saw it was 5:26 "- 4 minutes. Is that alright?" The man nodded and he followed Jamie to the counters. "Sorry for asking about this so late" "Oh no it's fine, I'm quite happy to meet someone with an interest in mythos" Before the british man could say anything, Jamie left him there and searched for his boss. 

While Jamie was searching for his boss, the man looked about him, seeing the many candies and sweets being sold. Not to mention some children's books that were on sale. "American Bookstores really are something... if I can't find it here than-" He continued to walk forward and closer to the register. He could hear the buzzing vibration from behind the counter, and with a little curiousness, he peaked his head over the counter to see a phone buzzing and...his eyes widened. There sitting on a chair with a coat and shoulder bag was _the_ book. One of the many spell books he was searching for. Covered in old leather and sticky notes peaked out of the thick journal, the words still etched into it: Secrets of the Magic Makers

He could see the runes also etched into the cover only slightly. What was an old spell book doing here? What luck. He thought. To find such a journal- no- _grimoire_ inside this type of bookstore. This place was his last guess and his first was in some old wiccan hideout, so he wouldn't really expect a book like that to be here. His eyes didn't waver from the journal before him, but he quickly turned around to make sure he didn't look suspicious. Then he saw the boy come back with another Norse book. "Ah, thanks for waiting. Turns out we do have some books about Norse Runes and some translations" Jamie passed The Big Book Of Runes and Rune Magic to the man who looked down at it curiously. "Well, I would like to get a copy of that for myself sometime" Gray eyes looked up from the book to the boy with slight suspicion "And why's that?" "Well uh, its for research. Did you find everything you need okay?" "Oh. Yes! Yes indeed. This is exactly what I needed" "Great! I'll get it checked out for you" Jamie hurriedly walked around the counter and appeared in front of the register. 

As he scanned the book and told him the price, the old man started asking him about the journal. "Is that journal yours?" "What?" He saw the glove point to the book behind Jamie and said boy followed his direction. That's when he noticed his phone was vibrating and getting messages non-stop, who was even calling him at this time? "Oh, yeah it was a gift from my girlfriend. She's really into the same topics as I am. You want a bag with that?" Jamie took out the receipt. "No thank you" "Alright. Have a great weekend" Jamie watched the old man take the book with him and headed towards the door. "Oh! I wanted to ask if-and he's already gone. Great" his phone continued to vibrate which already annoyed him. 

" _Who_ is calling me?! It better not be Sophie begging for something" Jamie took out his phone from his bag and saw that yes, it was indeed his sister calling him. She called him 3 times already. It must be urgent. He picked up the phone and placed against his ear. "What is it Sophie? My shift's almost over"

*Finally you pick up you nerd! Are trolls from Europe or America?!" His concerned look turned to disappointment. Why was she even asking this? 

"Europe. Scandinavia. Sweden and Norway. Why?"

*Okay! What are the chances of a troll living in Pennsylvania?*

"Sophie. Why are you asking me this? You called three times, is this urgent?"

*Yes! It's urgent! There's a troll- well was -in our backyard!*

"Is it one of those Halloween decors? The neighbors are really strange with those things" 

*Not you too Jamie! Ugh! Fine I'll do this myself!* "Wait Sophie where are you? Are you out-" Sophie hung up the phone before Jamie could question what she was even doing. He stared at his home screen of Elizabeth and sighed. "She's out in the snow with her PJs isn't she?" He didn't even have to question that. He knew that his little sister was a determined and reckless girl. Maybe she was seeing things and sleep deprived from her nightmares. It's been happening a lot more recently, nightmares and strange visions. Maybe Sophie had a nightmare involving trolls and now she's seeing them in real life...wait she messaged him a picture. 

Jamie tapped on the message in his phone to see a picture- no two- pictures of a hairy rock troll looking directly at her camera. It... it really did look like a troll, albeit more rounder than those creepy Halloween decors, but they were the same size. One picture was half lit and blurred as if the camera kept moving. The other was a clear picture of the creature. What was he going to do? Probably go back home and see where she went off too. Jamie placed his phone in his pocket, packed up everything and waved Katherine goodbye before walking out of the store. 

Not to far away from him sat the old British man on a bench, staring at the boy as he talked on the phone with the rune book on next to him. "Hey Charles...yes yes I know I woke you up at a bad time but here me out...listen to me you old goon. You know the spell books you wanted me to find?...Indeed I did. One of them. A grimoire...Shockingly it's _not_ in India as you say, it's in the United States. In the hands of a 20-ish year old man. It'll be tough to get my hands on it-no it's not easy. Call me crazy all you want but that book is protected by magic. I felt it's presence when I went near it. The boy doesn't seem to have a clue" The old man watched Jamie walk quicker out of the doors of the store and turned a corner with a panicked look in his eyes, unaware of the blue ghostly presence following after him that the old man can clearly see. 

"There's a spirit watching over the grimoire" 

* * *

Pabbie opened his eyes to the sound of a creaking door and a very bright light shining in his direction. He didn't know where he was but he guessed a human saw him. He couldn't see the human but he could hear what she said. "Troll...Oh my god! J-Jamie! Jamie come here quick!" Pabbie guessed he was definitely in trouble at this point. The flash of light moved to another area and this human girl went straight back inside the house. He looked left and right to find somewhere to hide. The tree maybe? Under the fence? The gap under the stairs seemed promising, but what about the little egg? Will he able to escape in time before... oh no. The troll stood himself up to see the little pink and green egg underneath crushed from his weight. His only transportation was gone. Pabbie sighed. His only two options was to turn into a rock or burrow over to somewhere else. 

Yes, burrowing would be the right choice in this scenario. Maybe the human wouldn't come out of the house again, but he understood her language and what she yelled, so she would do that. Pabbie looked around him again and saw apart of the fence had opened itself up. An escape from this place, but where was he exactly? It didn't look like Norway, nor his familiar mountain home. Suddenly the door opened again and Pabbie, without a thought, turned himself into a rock by the old tree in the yard. He could hear the human walk down the steps and into the snow, her flashlight still on and waving about the darkness for something. That something would probably be him. There was no doubt this human was searching for him, yet their was doubt about the werewolf's quest for him. Apart of him held questions of the werewolf and his intelligence. Maybe, maybe that beast knew what the little egg could do, but he suggested this search for the troll instead of himself. Was he kidding, really? To trust _humans_ to find a Viking sword? They probably have no idea where-or what- Revolute was! 

The human's light flashed directly onto him and she got closer with suspicion in her eyes, staring at the grassy moss over his body. She then started talking "it's so...old and-" She leaned closer to him and started sniffing him. "Ew! It smells like rotten eggs!" _Wha- Why- Why I never-_

Pabbie, clearly insulted by this human's comment, revealed himself and was ready to tell her off but that resulted in the human screaming in fright. _Oh, bother-_ he saw the human fall backwards, her flashlight waving about chaotically, and land onto the snow. She might've hit her head on something hard because she didn't seem to move. Suddenly he heard the noises of mutts behind him and the lights of their home flicked on. Oh no. He needs to get out of here quickly. The old troll looked about to the crack in the fence. Yes, an escape. He glanced back to the human for the last time before rolling away through the hole in the fence. 

He rolled, he continued to roll downwards, he still needed to escape away from the humans and he stopped in front of a huge pond. He could see a few rocks and pebbles in the middle of the pond, but what caught his attention was the glowing symbol in the pond. The familiarity of it forced the troll to take two steps on the frozen pond water and inspect the glowing, but the density of his weight made the ice crack from underneath him. He froze in place. Another step and he would completely destroy the surface and the pond would be his grave. Forget the glow, he told himself, you must get out of here before- 

He heard more footsteps from behind him and the same girly voice. "It rolled down here somewhere..." He turned back to see the blond haired girl waving her flashlight around in the dark, hunting for him. "A quick girl, determined isn't she?" He mumbled with both awe and frustration. He really is, to say, going to be caught between a rock and a hard place. One to be discovered by the girl and another is his death sentence. Though he could just walk out of the pond and escape into the woods, he heard the howling noises of the Nattmara in the distance, or what he presumed to be a Nattmara. Could just be a regular wolf, but the swaying of the pine trees told a different story: that beyond this pond held evil spirits. 

What was he going to do? Stay here and be caught by a human? Or be cornered by evil spirits? He looked behind him and saw the girl getting closer to the pond. He looked down at the cracks of the pond and then at the glowing insignia illuminating the darkness. Should he really go over there to investigate with an aftermath of drowning? He closed his eyes and took another heavy step forward towards the light. 

"Ha! Finally caught up to you tro-" The girl stopped in front of the pond, waving her phone around the pond, questioned and confused. Where did it go? She just saw it roll down to the pond and walked right onto it for some weird reason. She was so sure to catch the troll and get more evidence or even ask it some questions, but now he just...disappeared. Poof goes the troll. Then she saw a reddish haired boy by the pond. He looked confused and was just staring at the girl. "Hey kid, did you see a rocky round troll creature come down here?" The red haired boy shook his head. Troll? What was she talking about? "No. What are you talking about? Trolls don't exist here. You're crazy Lady" The girl opened her mouth to retort but pressed her lips together, frustrated. It was. It was right there. She was sure this boy saw the troll didn't he? She can't be going crazy. "I'm not crazy kid. I saw with my own eyes" She lit her face with her flashlight and showed black bags under her eyes. Clearly she wasn't getting enough sleep, well, neither was Jamie. 

The boy nodded slowly. "O-kay" "I'm serious! It was just took two steps on the pond and poof! Disappeared!" He shrugged, boredom in his eyes. "I didn't see it. I think your dreaming it" The girl stomped her foot "No I'm not! Ugh! Nevermind! Why are you down here then?" She flashed the light at the red haired boy, who flinched at the light. "I don't know..." "Then you should go back home before your parents get worried" The boy didn't say anything and turned around, going up the hill and back into the neighborhood. The girl sighed. "Weird kid. Maybe I really am seeing things" She whispered as she too turned around and went back up the dirt path and towards her house. 

When the two humans were gone, Pabbie stared wide eyed before him at the dirt path. They. They didn't see him? How? Then he finally felt a hand was placed over his head. He looked up to his right and was speechless. Before him was a creature, human-like yet it's skin glowed an icy blue. Black armor covered the creature with sprinkles of white. Paintings of swirls and the moon was on it's chest plate and his hands were uncovered. It's hair gleamed white and gray, long and smooth like those elves. In fact, he could see it's ears were very pointed and even pierced three times. It's blue face also freckled all over and it's eyes...it's eyes glowed a starry white, but it's sclera was the opposite. The armored creature didn't remove its cold hand from the troll's head, but the creature glanced it's eyes down to the troll and moved it's head slowly to him. He placed a blue glowing finger to his lips as a sign to be quiet. 

Pabbie was still in awe. Who-what is this creature and how did it get here? He even looked transparent enough, his glow flickering like a star would. He illuminated the darkness of the night, even brighter than the insignia below the pond. The elf-creature looked back to the dirt trail, it's eyes shown no emotion but gleaming regardless. What was it waiting for? What did it do? Then suddenly, as if reading his thoughts, the elf-creature spoke to him, but didn't move his mouth. Telepathic communication. 

**I made you spiritual for a few minutes, I let you go, you are now physically seen. Meaning I made you invisible. Troll.** His voice echoed throughout his mind, which was oddly soothing. **You may speak.** But he didn't say anything, only in awe at the tall elf-creature before him. "I...um...what are you?" His head moved to his direction again and his hair was a literal depiction of any forest elf: It was brushed to the side and one side was longer, touching his chest plate. **Not from here, but I see you are lost. You do not belong here. What sent you?** His eyes held no emotion or curiousness, he was just...staring. Pabbie blinked. "A-A Werewolf. No-no forget about that. I-I'm not fit for this quest. I lost the book. It had information on...*sigh*" The old troll was tired, he really needed a rest. 

**Calm yourself troll. What object do you seek from this Werewolf?** "A weapon, a sword of some sort, but I can't possible do it and he suggested I seek help to find it" **What type of weapon?** The elf-creature released his hand from the troll's head and walked onto the pond effortlessly. Pabbie struggled walking onto the pond but he managed to get back onto dry land. "A sword, said to be a Viking legend. I've seen the owner of the sword myself but I didn't care less about the object itself" So you know where it is then. Pabbie turned around to and looked up at the elf. "No. I do not. I don't even know where the viking went either. I never really cared for them, so why should I care to find the sword in the first place?! Who knows where I am now?! It'll take ages!" he walked away from the elf and towards the woods, but stopped at the second howl of his fear. 

**You're not sure if it will really work. To kill that which you fear. The werewolf gave you a mission, but-** The armored elf walked up to the troll and again placed his cold hand onto his head, which oddly enough soothed and calmed down his thoughts. **-I see you don't trust the beast, but you're willing to search for help. At all the odds, troll. You should trust humans more.** Pabbie widened his eyes and tugged away from this creature's relaxing action to look up at him again, his eyes fierce. "Humans are _fools_! They believe in anything I tell them. I admit that I lie to them, but they are so-so deceivable. Even in a state of fear, they will panic and make it a bigger problem!" **And you think you are more the wiser? You are but a small rock troll in a vast realm of biology. True. They are fools. Less cognizant than two millennium ago, but do not blame them for their child-like ignorance, they are getting wiser, slowly.**

"Why would you trust me with humans? They can be completely.. completely.." **Superstitious?** "Well yes that, but..." **I see no problem other than your own denial. You want to destroy the Nattmara of which you fear with a physical sword, then so be a physical human do the job for you. Not all humans are spell bounded by dark magic, there is that girl earlier.** "Even if I get her on my side, there is still no way to find the sword. I lost a valuable book that held information of the sword. No, not one but two swords. It might even have the locations of where they laid and that book might of went somewhere else far away from my reach!" The creature didn't move or even showed any expression from the troll's sudden outburst. 

He waited until the troll calmed himself down and turned away from the glowing elf. The elf closed his eyes, sighed as a chilling fog escaped from his lips, and glanced to the side. "There is one book. A journal. While searching about, I happen to find a boy carrying a journal encased in magic, he might help you. "A journal incased in magic?" **"It is not the only journal casted with magic. I...seem to not leave this human's side, but I will communicate with him through symbols for you. One of yours and one of mine, he will take notice of them and take action. Will that soothe your nerves troll?** Pabbie lowered his shoulders and sighed, seeing his crystals glow in the darkness of the night, and uncurled his fists. "If that's the case. Yes. I don't know where I am, but..." Pabbie walked over to the pond to see the illuminated symbol that he couldn't see completely. The elf-creature followed his movements and stood by his side, looking at the symbol under the ice. 

"...it worries me..." **You don't need to worry troll.** **Hide about or go around the woods. There are other creatures out there that can accompany you. I'm sure your family is doing well.** "It's not my way home that I'm worried about. It's-" **Ahto?** Pabbie looked up to the elf in amazement. How did this...elf know about Ahto? "You know who-" **Indeed I do, we all know who Ahto is, the** **deity** **of the arctic deep waters and jailer to the fallen who corrupted this beautiful realm with their sins. You don't need to worry. He's signal is still there and gleaming.** "It..it looks like a warning sign. a call for help" The elf nodded without moving his mouth and crossing his armored arms over his chest. You may be right. I've seen them on my searching across the continents as blizzards blocked my signal to the luminaries. "Luminaries? You mean..." Pabbie scanned the elf-creature from head to armored toe then back to his star freckled face and moon pierced ears. His glow didn't waver as he continued to walk closer and stood directly in front of the symbol, looking down at it. Again there was no surprise or wariness in his facial features. Then he saw the elf-creature place his hand out, his blue palm opened up and a sudden light appeared from his palm. The light grew vertically in his palm and when it grew to a certain height, the light faded. The light transferred into a decorated spiraled long spear. The spear itself was sharp like a beam of light, but large enough to be threatening and slightly bent like the balsamic moon. It didn't glow like it's owner did, but it looked like it held some type of other worldly energy. He watched the elf-creature spin the long spear with only his wrist and placed the sharp end right in the middle of symbol. "What-what are you doing? Are you trying to break the ice? You might drown" 

**That's kind of you to be concerned for my demise, but I'm looking for something much needed and sought after. I will not 'drown' as you say.** He spoke in the trolls mind as the elf stabbed the tip of the spear directly into the ice. A loud crack, so loud that it created a domino effect from one crack to another until the whole pond was breakable. Pabbie was expecting the ice to break and him to fall into the cold waters, but it didn't. What happened was the cracks between the ice glowed with spirals of frost and them fixed themselves. The elf took his spear out of the ice and the pond healed itself with frost. White-blue eyes looked down at his reflection, the symbol now gone from the pond, and bent down to take something in his hands. He turned around with his hand out up to the sky and revealed the item in his hands: A crystal, transparent as glass and blue as ice. It glowed a many different shades of sky blue and swirls of frost covered it, not to mention the common lines of veins inside. He moved it towards the light of a waxing gibbous moon to see the small pulsating beat within. He found it, yet only a shard of it, but it will do. 

**This will do. I will give this boy when the time is right. It'll help in getting rid of the evil spirits around here, and possibly the plague of dark magic within the area.** He walked back to the dirt path and stood next to the troll, who was still confused yet in awe of this elf. He still wanted to know what this elf really was and how he appeared out of nowhere. His first thought was from the Vikings and Valkyries book. Where one page showed a figure of a light elf and the realm of Alfheim. The elf before him almost resembled the one in the book. "Pardon me but.. are you a-" Pabbie didn't finish his question when the elf-creature suddenly disappeared in front of his eyes like flashes of colored stars. He blinked and no-one was there besides him. 

The strange thing was that he didn't feel nervous or lost anymore, but he took the creature's advise and rolled away into the woods. The howling of the wolfs seized from his mind and there came a peace of mind. Now he just has to find some other creature to accompany. 

Above the two rocks of the pond, reappeared the armored elf sitting down with his legs kicking in and out, staring at the crystal in his hands. His starry eyes narrowed at the crystal in his hand.

 **After all those centuries...I finally found one....now when will I find you, Little brother? I no longer sense your light in this realm, how will I get you home from this cursed place?** He then laid himself down on the rock, looking up at the clouds blocking the luminary's light. **"When I myself can't reach the realm of stars because of you"**

* * *

Jamie raced back to his house, his thoughts filled with worry and doubts in his mind. What was Sophie even doing wandering out at night? To seek a possible-living troll or just an illusion? Out of breath, he reached the front door of his house and swung it wide open. The living room and dining room was quite. He went into the kitchen. No one was there. He rushed upstairs and barged into his sister's bedroom to see the lights were turned off. "Sophie? I came as quick as I-" he uncovered her sheets to see that she wasn't there and he turned himself around to back back to the hallway. Then he heard the backdoor creek open and shuffling of footsteps. Sophie's footsteps. She came back! What was she even thinking going out like that!? Jamie rushed down the stairs with wide eyes and heavy breathing. He saw his little sister, dazed and tired with her shoulders slouched and in a position telling him that she gave up and was ready for bed. "Sophie! Is there really a troll-" She didn't bother to look at him with her eyelids drooping and her walk sloppy. "False alarm Jamie. There was no rock troll" She slowly turned her tired eyes to her brother. "I was seeing things. I'm going to bed *yawn* goodnight Jamie" She waved to her brother before covering her mouth and walked passed him and up the stairs. "Don't take folklores so seriously. It's stupid" 

Jamie's worry settled, but also the hopes of possibility seeing a troll anchored. It didn't really die but he was suspicious enough to know that Sophie's clear photo of the troll looked more real than some Halloween decoration. His hope was for another day. 


	27. Creation or Chaos

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pitch talks to Olaf  
> Emily and Elsa go to Bergen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writers block happened okay? Okay.

Wailings of phantoms and suffering spirits alike echoed and encompassed the cobblestone debris and ruins lying meters under the earth. Cages hung by full lines of dark matter, desolate and swinging ever so slightly from the tufts of the ghouls flying about. A reminder of his plan in the past with capturing every tooth fairy that flew around the earth, or at least the continents that believed in them, that accomplished but failed him. There was no need for those cages now, lest the ghouls and fearlings wanted a place to slumber. Then he was fine with it. He didn’t care about the cages, anyway. Those tiny pathetic birds meant nothing to him now, he didn’t require them now since they didn’t interrupt his servants of their task: let the guardians know what it’s like to have nightmares. Let them have hallucinations so dreadful that they’re joyous colors are now colorless. He’s tried it before with the guardians, taking everything they loved away from them. Give humanity nightmares, let their hope diminish, crack and crumble until there was nothing left but dust. That’s what the mortals were to him: Dust. Nothing but dust, muck and clay. Physical creatures of a shell holding souls of light inside. What are those humans to the guardians of the luminaries? Why care so much for such creatures? Can’t you tell they still maintain an ill nature within that sparkling light?!

 **Why do you wish to be seen? To be loved and cared for like the social animals they are?** No. You aren’t among them. Pitchiner. You are not human though you look like one. Lazy, distorted, ‘perfect’ creatures of good. That desperately wants a supreme being to follow, to serve and to awe at. Such foolishness and limits of the human mind are entertaining to watch, but irritating in their physical one-track stubbornness. Ignorant little animals, full of heart with both natures, welling with pride and fragile egos. Such easy targets to consume and deceive. 

Humans don't pay that much attention to spiritual matters, well not anymore, but they're aware somewhat. Did that give _him_ hope of being believed in? Possibly, but will you ever win, Pitchiner? **What is fear used for?** To make humans force their rebellious asses back in shape of course, for good and bad reasons. As well as hindering their progress with illusions. Illusions. They were never physical to hurt animals, only mentally. Fear was used to help protect them...from what? Spirits of the world and natural disasters? Why would he want to protect them? They could be his slaves, his army after all humans want to serve and help. It was in their spirit. 

**What do you suggest with helping their spirit using fear? To save humanity and be seen as a good guy to them?**

But I'm not a good guy. 

**You were.**

Do _you_ think humans are good then? Do you ever expect them to win this spiritual warfare? 

**Maybe...do you fear humans?** Does he fear humanity? No, but he wanted to be seen by them, to know he existed. Yet why care for their acceptance when they're so-so small? He probably hated them, maybe even jealous of humans for being...chosen by the higher ranks. Yet it was also infuriating to watch them draw themselves as gods, deities and even as those dreadful angels. You aren't gods, just mud creatures. You live to serve, not give orders or move mountains and have Nephilim-like powers. He wanted to scoff at the idea of serving a lowly creature. 

But then again, most humans weren't even humans at all, they just _looked_ like them. Pitch knew this, the fearlings he conversed with knew this. Demons, lizards, monsters and beasts. He could tell which one was which in his adventures about the earth. At least he wasn't the only being trapped down here in this physical dimension, forever stuck in a form of a human, but at least it was better than being a dog or even a dust-eating snake. 

Speaking of serpents... 

Pitch Black walked out of the shadows of his lair colored in dull grays and blacks, carefully walking by the only flickering lights of the ruined city resembling the deceiving shape of the earth, and looking up at the many dark-matter induced lead cages hanging from no where but darkness. One hanging cage was frozen some feet away and, to him, it was a bother to even get his minions to freeze the cage in a temperature colder than ice for the thing. The snowman-thing was quiet, it didn't talk to him after the fearling flew out of it. Heh. It was possibly just snow now, maybe even frozen snow. A bother really, but it held some important leftovers he needed to discuss with. Pitch clutched and squeezed his hand at his deeply wounded shoulder, a faint light appearing in a streak of blue from the top of his right shoulder to the middle of his chest. The wound almost cut his entire arm off, almost. His eyes focused on the cage above, letting the incoming darkness heal his deep wound as he stared, huffing silently in pain to himself.

Maybe the thing didn't melt as quickly as he thought and that deity wanted to preserve himself as much as possible. Even after his temple was completely destroyed.

Still. A pathetic, useless talking snowman? That's where he wanted to be? 

Pitch chuckled. Well, with this human body of his, lazy and limiting as it may seem, there was still a need for socialization.

"I hope you like your knew prison cell, it's a burden to gather that much ice to just keep you alive" The cage didn't respond. "Silent treatment...don't tell me you're still mad about _that_ are you? That demon did as much damage as it needed to, but in your case you froze the earth as much as you wanted. For what? You're worried for even more destruction of the Arctic ice?" The cage still didn't respond and Pitch clicked his tongue with a sigh. The snowman wasn't going to say anything, but Pitch kept talking since, well, he had no-one else to talk to down here. Though he wondered if he was actually conversing with the deity himself or just a snowman. 

"I'm not so sure if you care about the guardians of the moon but, it seemed most of them are stuck in an nightmarish illusion. It was surprisingly easy to sneak up on them all which...did a lot less work than the last plan" Pitch watched the lights on the globe flicker about and most of them dying out. It was only a matter of time until all of them went out. All of them could just be seeing nightmares and very well dying from fright. Whatever they were seeing, he didn't care that much, but if their lives cost his own hopes of believing in fear, then so be it. Though if he used fear for 'good' instead of 'evil' then humanity would be more aware of themselves and strive for fear. 

Was that what he wanted? Possibly. Why only humanity of all animals? There were creatures down below in the depths of the sea that would be called gods to them and possibly eat them, they could be chosen instead of humans. Yet they weren't. Those creatures were just as fearful, dreadful and beastly than any other demon or fearling he could use, but he didn't use them. He chose children as his minions, children that didn't see light and only saw darkness. Didn't believe in peace and blindly went to the path of chaos. Deceit was his game, _our_ game, to get humanity on his- _their_ -side. But for what? For revenge? The demons inside say yes, so it _must_ be yes. It was for revenge, not for any other good means. He could create an army of children who succumbed to fear. He tried that once and he succeeded, but those damn guardians and that boy. That one little boy revived Sandman, well no longer, for the guardian of dreams couldn't save all of them from those illusions. He wouldn't even figure out how to get them back into reality if he tried, this was apart of the Nattmara's powers. Let them see what scares them the most, be frozen in fear or even faint to death as they scream and possibly loose their vocal cords. He almost cracked a laugh out of that image. 

"But really Ahto, why a snowman of all things?" There was a response of the cage moving very slightly and then silence. "You know... I'm quite curious about your decision with the dark angel in the arctic. So close to Yggdrasil yet unreachable to the guardians...and to me" Pitch narrowed his eyes towards the cage. Was he just talking to nothing? He stepped backwards into the shadows and reappeared in the back of the cage and looked through the transparent thick ice to see the little snowman. The snowman didn't look up, but his humanistic eyes stared down at his feet as he sat on the surface of the cage. His stick-for-arms reaching to grab his snow feet. His expression indifferent and possibly in thought as he swayed himself about. 

Pitch's yellow eyes stared at the snowman, it's aura glowing ice blue with it's permafrost body glowing to keep it stable and alive. They both were silent as Pitch watched it glow dimly in his surroundings. The glow showed the fearlings lurking about and watching it like a moth attracted to the flame or a human mesmerized by a fire. "...tell me, Ahto, do you know who I am?" the snowman didn't look up and Pitch could tell this human-eyed snowman is aware of where he appeared to be. It looked, in a way, depressed and hopeless of its situation. It decided to finally speak "Who's Ahto? I'm Olaf...who are you?" It's eyes finally glanced up and met with yellow glowing eyes of horror and fear. "Pitch Black" "Why am I here? First I was in a castle and now I'm in a dark cage with evil spirits" "Well, Olaf, I don't know why you're here but it seems the spirits know more than I do. That you have someone inside you that could give me the information I seek" 

Pitch walked around the cage, his hands behind his back as the blue streak began to fade back into darkness. His wound was healing, but not a pace he would like. He watched the snowman as it didn’t move from its position. Pitchiner had doubts, yes, that the deity wasn’t even inside this snowman and he was wasting his time. Though, to make sure, he stood before the snowman’s direction and pierced deep into the soul of this living thing. It was easy to see the soul of a human, yet a living snowman relying on magic was a different story. His glowing yellow eyes stared at it, then its permafrost body, then back into its humanistic eyes. There were still traces of Ahto’s spirit within him, but he guessed the deity refused to talk. Pitch huffed out loud, signifying his annoyance and impatience, but he expected it. “... Who’s inside me? I don’t have anyone inside me, do I? Oh gosh I-I hope I don’t. Where’s-where’s Marshmallow? Where are the snowgies? Where’s Elsa?” The snowman moved his head about, looking through the thick ice of his cage to see the haunting eyes of spirits and demons. They just stared at him, those clusters of blank white and yellow eyes. They never blinked at the snowman and Olaf wanted to shutter from their stares, so he looked back up at Pitch’s human eyes. 

At least those eyes seem calming to look at, for a while. 

"Oh that snow golem? Sent him away on a little quest. Snow-gies? Oh those little snowmen?...gone. Pretty useless by the way, easy pawns for my minions...Elsa. Is that your creator? Well" Pitch shrugged "I don't know where she is. Probably up on the surface, forgetting about you and abandoned you for something else. I don't know, I don't really care" He turned around, his tall back facing the snowman. "No she..she couldn't have abandoned me, right? No, no your lying! Just wait until Elsa gets here and gets me out of here! She'll make an army of Marshmellows to take you down!" Olaf finally had the will to stand up and walk to the edge of the icy cage, his stick hands flat against the cold lead wall and giving him a mixture of anger and fear in his eyes. Pitch looked over his shoulder, his yellow eyes piercing through the darkness of the lair, glaring at the snowman curiously. "Oh really? She would have that kind of power? An _army_ of those snow golems from her hands?" A sudden fearling flew close to its master's ear, whispering into it about the events on the surface. The nightmare king turned around to face Olaf and walked closer to his icy prison that kept him alive. 

"Oh, that ice girl? That little girl that Ahto created? Always running back and forth on some other spirit? Hmm.." Yellow eyes glanced up at the endless void of chaos above him and then walked back into the shadows with a look of pleasant carelessness. His voice echoed throughout the lair with the other ghouls swarming about. "I heard she died, along with the temple. Oddly enough I don't sense her anymore than I did 2 centuries ago. Maybe it was the war? Ah. So many souls died in those years, what a pleasant time" Pitch reappeared near the flickering globe of lights, seeing most lights going out throughout Africa, Mongolia, Russia and Australia. There were sill more dimming out around those areas and he guessed those humans started dying in some way other than physical. He then took out the red and glassy snowglobe from the blackness of his body, looking into it and gently moving it around, watching the swirling magic turn about, ready for a command. "...But anyway... getting these from those abominables is easier enough to get to your true location" 

Olaf turned around and looked down against the wall of the cage at the tall and scary man, who held the snowglobe and whispered into it. "Elsa's...dead? No, I refuse to believe that! She can't be dead, I-I'm still alive! I'm proof she's not dead! So-Hah!" Olaf smiled, trying to find some hope in this darkened place. Pitch didn't look up at the snowman to see him smiling, but he could feel the hope still flickering inside it like a child would, as if he caught the man lying. The nightmare king shrugged his shoulders. "Well...whose to say she's not alive nor dead? She could be in Purgatory for all I care. Souls can adventure to so many places after their death. They can go to heaven or hell, Valhalla or Helheim, Shoel or Paradise, Nirvana etc. Doesn't really matter where they end up, all there is just darkness and light in the end. For me well"

Pitch chuckled to himself as the snowglobe showed a dimension of celestial realm. Alfheim, where the sun and moon resided. This was his destination. This is where he wanted to go, to get back up there and finish what they stopped him from doing. He shook the globe again and whispered another realm, a picture of ice, fog and death. A place full of nothing but white and frozen faces.

Jotunheim. 

Then he shook it once more and whispered into it the true name of the North Pole. It showed the giant jagged mountain high above the rest of the world, protected by the threatening winds of the weather, the shaking seas and whirlpools. The entire continent was frozen in ice, kept and preserved until that time was nigh. A ring of similar high jagged mountains circled around the Pole, it's protection was still there and so far, for millennium, no one truly entered the place called paradise. Pitch finally looked up at the snowman peering down at him from above. The nightmare king went back to the shadows and reappeared before Olaf, who yelped in shock at the sudden appearance and fell back on his little butt. "Tell me, Ahto, do you know what this place is?" He showed the globe to Olaf, who stood himself back up and squinted his eyes at the picture of the high jagged mountain top. "Uh...it looks like the North Pole" "What this _really_ is? I _know_ you're not an idiot" "Uh.. mm...I -I think it's a tall mountain top, really cold and difficult to get to" Pitch sneered at the snowman, showing his teeth at him and backed away from the ice wall. 

"Yggdrasil, the tree of life, Olympus, Eden, Hyperborea. The center of this world. You know don't you Ahto, that this tree reached so far to the heavens. Giving access to all dimensions to go from one to the other without any limits. Then it got cut down and the Great Deluge happened, resulting the loss of Atlantis and Lemuria and the Ice Age. Where you came in. Don't you recall all of that? Or did you forget?" Pitch then walked closer to the cage, placing his long fingers on the ice, which made Olaf take a step back, worried of what he was going to do. "That you were trapped with that dark angel for millennium. You could thank me for setting you free from that serpent" He lowered his palm from the cage and walked away from it. 

Thank him? Why would he thank him? Who was he talking to? What was the point in all of this? He just wants to go home, back to the ice castle where it was fine. Olaf then managed to speak, his hands back on the wall "Who.. who are you talking about?" "Ahto. Deity of the depths. I actually wouldn't have thought of his what was left of his spirit on earth to be encased inside of a snowman. He's a guardian, a guardian that makes sure the North is as frozen as possible so no one or thing could last very long once reaching Yggdrasil. But I see that he kept that dark angel in those depths for a while now. I bet it's circling around the tree as we speak" Pitch was then back on the ground where the flickering globe was, still holding the object in his hand. 

"Do you have something against him? I mean, we can talk it out if you hate him or something like that. I could give you a hug if you want" Pitch chuckled. "That won't be necessary. Well, I don't have anything against him, I just wanted to know if he still remembers me, or even recalls that time in the plot of humanity. Well if he can hear me through you, then what I want is the key of getting to Alfheim without any delays. The celestial dome that keeps the air in and the angels of Alfheim separated could crack and fall like the last time. That key, dear little Olaf, is a weapon made from light, a weapon that could cut through the ice with just a slash and let me through the gates with ease. Now the world tree is gone and separated from this world, I could never get back to finish what I started" 

"And what was that?" Olaf, now curious of what Pitch's story, asked, leaning forward against the ice wall, starting to ease himself a little bit from the constant stares of the fearlings. "Well, I'm not so sure, I had a couple of awakenings that these spirits are telling me. I was plagued with forgetfulness, with rebellion against the Most High. I succumbed to what I feared the most. I became what I didn't expect to be. To a certain unbelievable extent, I was a good being of light, a captain in Alfheim, sailing about the constellations. I lost myself to a being more evil than what corrupted me, I lost a love that I once had and now...I can't really remember. Everything is hazier now, but...I want to go back up there" Pitch looked up to the ceiling with eyes of longing. Olaf couldn't help but feel pitiful about his whole situation and story, that he wanted to go back up to the sky to maybe go back to being the nice guy he was. Maybe, to him, Pitch was misunderstood, yet there was no real reason as to why he wanted Olaf in an ice cage. 

He could just be really lonely down here, with no one but these evil spirits to talk to. Pitch was just like him, alone and possibly abandoned in this cold place by his friends and creator. Stranded down here for who knows how long. Longer than this little snowman for sure. "I'm sorry.." Olaf apologized, he couldn't help but pity this scary man. Seeing the deep wound tracing down his shoulder to the middle of his chest was a glowing blue light. It looked like it was going to kill him some day, but it was healing by the spirits around him pretty slowly. "What happened to your body Pitch?" "Oh this?" Pitch looked down at his wound, a dim light pulsating through him. It burned just like the heat of the sun. "An angel tried to kill me, a very very deadly angel. One of heat that could melt you in seconds, even the permafrost itself. I tried reasoning with him. 'Why serve humans full of evil hearts? Why kill me instead of them? You know how even the Most High would destroy the things he loved the most? To get rid of it all and start all over? We were both castaways in a way. Betrayed by the beings we loved the most. The light is more dangerous than darkness, and he is an example of that" 

"But you were...a good guy right? A good being of light in Alfheim?" A low chuckle. "Yes. I was...I don't mind being like that again, but now. I'm nothing but a being of fear, a being of chaos...it hurts, the light" Pitch suddenly struggled again, clutching his shoulder, arm and then chest as the blue light brightened. He hunched over and let the snow globe fall to the floor. It didn't break as it made impact and the demons and fearlings by his side were both helping and cautious of the light inside his body that was trying to hurt him. They didn't want to die in his light, but they needed to save their king somehow. Olaf watched, there was worry on his face for this man and also wonder of what was going on. "Pitch? Are you okay?" 

The brightness in his wound suddenly dimmed as the black spirits took over his body and started healing him again. Olaf, while far from the man he was, loomed over and saw that the arm that the bright light was, started to show human flesh before it was quickly overtaken by the darkness of the fearlings. Pitch clenched his teeth and a form of sweat appeared down his face. He stared at his dominant hand. Fingers clawed in his direction and he could see the ashy grayness of his skin turn to light and then to flesh. Human flesh. No. No he didn't like it. He didn't want it. Too weak. **TOO WEAK**. Go back. **GO BACK.** He could hear himself panicking, he could hear the demons around him start to override his thoughts and body. The bright light in his body were giving him visions of a history he didn't want to know. His mind racing until it was full of calming darkness. 

The fearlings once again taking over and letting his worries rest. 

**Not yet. Pitchiner. I still need you.**

Said man exhaled as the healing continued, stitching over the light in his body with their darkness. He stood himself up while taking the snow globe in his hand, gripping onto it as a support for the pain. _Whatever that angel did, those relics could kill me even more than the sword. I need to get those relics before they kill me!_ Pitch walked away from the globe, holding his shoulder as a nightmare formed before him. Olaf couldn’t hear was he was saying and saw the black horse gallop away with the other minions through a tunnel, never to be heard of again. A tunnel that led to the surface! He. He could get out! Somehow. 

Olaf asked the same question to the bruised man. "Are you okay Pitch?" Said man finally glanced up at the snowman who looked worried for him. Why, why was this little pathetic snowman worried for a being like him? The snowman should be worried for his own circumstances in this chaotic place! Not him! No one cared about him anyway! Why should this thing?! He felt threatened by this snowman's concern. It was an act of kindness and care that he despised. Why be like that? Why do you still hope when all that follows is disappointment? Yellow eyes stared up at the icy cage as it moved and swung about with the snowman just there, watching him. Pitch raised his arm and more black magic swirled around the lead that held the cage, thickening it to make sure it would stop moving so damn much. 

"Stop moving...I'm fine. Leave me be, snowman" Pitch grumbled, still holding onto the snowglobe as he walking back into the shadows, leaving Olaf behind in the cage with the rest of the demons. He figured that Ahto wasn't going to talk to him, nor give him an answer as to the location of the spear shards. He needed rest, this wound was going to further delay him of reaching to those heights. Damn guardians, damn them all. At least these demons were loyal to his aid, unlike those little elves that left him for the light. 

Why would they betray him? He's the god of chaos. After all, the world started with chaos...

* * *

[Norway] 

Elsa watched Mother Nature destroyed the ice castle before them on the mountaintop. It was clearly old, broken and now drenched with dark magic and fearlings... whatever those are. She held out her arms, her icy fingers spread, and she lowered them. Her action resulted in the castle instantly melting away from heatwaves that appeared from her fingertips. The surrounding snow both melted from her heat, but it didn’t let them slide downwards. Elsa couldn’t help but be in awe of this deity’s power. Mattaraka, the Northuldra would call her, is a part of this earth. Fixed yet unpredictable, beautiful yet frightful. She is amazing to behold, yet this wasn’t even 10 percent of what she could do. Melting and freezing the waters was just one part of what she does. The castle now completely vanished from sight, never existed like it did 200 years ago. What was left on the mountain were black creatures scurrying along the caps, looking for a place to hide from the heatwaves of a scorned Mother. “There, it’s gone. No need going back here” Was all she said as she lowered her arms and stepped away from the melted spot of snow. Elsa looked back at the spot where darkness had taken over her castle and wondered if she would just come back here instead of leaving for good, but that was her fate. She left this place. The castle... never felt like home, and she was fine with leaving it with Olaf for centuries. Now did she regret leaving it like this to be a home to demons? Probably, but now she was more focused on something else, somewhere else. 

Bergen. 

Emily turned around, fists by her side as she walked gracefully down the steep mountain top, her long black hair swaying with her movements as she looked beyond the scenery with a look of rage from their encounter. Elsa caught up with her and stood next to this very tall and beautiful deity, looking up at her enraged forest green eyes staring out at the clouded sky. Her father's minions were the one who took over the castle, Emily knew that, and now she suggested they would go to the North Pole where that evil spirit resided in the waters. Emily's focused eyes of frustration softened at the sight of Elsa walking next to her, holding the crystal shard in her grasp as she looked out in thought. The ice spirit looked like a child compared to her own height and recognized a look in those blue eyes. An expression of wanting to go somewhere, anxious to speak up to her of going somewhere else, maybe even afraid to suggest it. Elsa looked like a homeless and scared child to her. 

Elsa felt a cold hand on top of her head and that hand began to pat and rub her hair like a reassuring mother. It stopped her train of thought and made her gaze up at her curiously to see those green eyes still looking out at the scenery as they walked down. "I'm sorry for hitting you. I just thought of how struggling humans can be...and how struggling my father can be. He wasn't always like this, as long I could remember he was a great man and pretty amazing in my eyes... *sigh* now I don't really know what to do but keep him in check. Is there somewhere else you want to visit?" Green eyes finally glanced down to the Elsa who widened her own on how she knew Elsa wanted to go somewhere else. Maybe it was those motherly instincts. She nodded as the deity's hand didn't let go of her and instead started brushing the crown of her head. "Y-yeah. I wanted to visit Bergen actually. I. I haven't been there for decades so I wanted to see how it changed. If you don't mind" Elsa played with the crystal in her hand. Emily moved further away from her and crossed her arms over her chest. "I don't really mind, it's not like we're in a rush or anything, but a lot of things have changed since the last hundred years. Statues became green, cars and trains are transportation, technology increased. So did belief..." She whispered the last part to herself before she moved away from Elsa to form a sleigh made out of snow. 

"How about we have a little fun going down a mountaintop?" Emily showed off the contraption with a grin as Elsa watched with amazement "How did you do that?" "What you do mean how did I do that? I'm Mother Nature sweetie. Every elemental spirit shares my energy source and being, the Saami should've told you that" Elsa looked away, guilty of what her own lack of knowledge. She really should of known that. "Now hop in, there's a quicker path down this way, the path you're not used to" the ice spirit watched Emily climb into the sleigh, holding this... bar control when there was no animal in sight on the mountain. "There should be a reindeer attached to the sleigh, so it can move" Elsa pointed out as she climbed and sat behind her, seeing the obvious difference between the two as they sat "Yes, but isn't it more fun when I'm driving?" "W-what?" Elsa blinked, confused at what Emily was talking about. There was no animal to tug at the sleigh, yet she holding a wheel in her hand and there was more metal attached to it. "Hold on tight little one, you're gonna have a taste of technology" Emily smiled, with a look of thrill and excitement in her eyes as Elsa wrapped her arms around the deity's waist. 

It wasn't long until the sleigh started moving on its own, wind sweeping through their hair and forming a trail of snowy mist behind them. They dived as fast as they could down the slope of the mountain, passing through pillars of trees and tall rocks as a speed that could be similar to the water spirit. Elsa clenched her teeth and widened her eyes at the sudden shock and fear they were going to crash down the mountain while Emily expressed the exact opposite. The snow cloud behind them grew bigger as they went faster and faster through the snow. Elsa had to close her eyes from the wind and debris that were suddenly in the air about them. No noise was being made from the sleigh that Emily created, but she could tell that they were going a little too fast on their to the city. Passing through the trees, hills and rivers with sharp turns, they finally arrived near the city on a hilltop that over saw the entire city. 

"You can open your eyes now" With those words, Elsa opened her eyes as her noticed her lovely hair was out of place and possibly tangled from the adventure. She got off of the sleigh, less dizzy than what Emily would normally call transportation. "Wasn't that fun little Elsa~?" She beamed a smile towards the ice spirit, her voice in a tone that resembled a mother talking to a baby. "I..uh" She placed her hand on her head as she stared at the white icy sleigh they just rode a second ago. Was it fast? Certainly, albeit lesser than the water spirit, but fast. It did shock her that it can be moved without an animal. Was it fun? Well she couldn't really tell until they were half-way there that it was very different and fun. She nodded her head. "It-it was fun...we got here pretty quickly didn't we? How long did it take us?" Emily looked out at the city before them. "With my speed... 500 miles per hour, more or less" She responded with a giddy smile towards the blonde, who nodded and crossed her arms. "But you know, I could go faster..." "Are you trying to kill me?" "Well, the water spirit is faster and its your mountain is not that far away. Just took 30 minutes to get here" Emily got herself off of the sleigh, touched the seat with her hand, and the whole sleigh melted away instantly. 

The deity looked back at Elsa, who walked over to the edge of the hill and stood there, overlooking the lights of the city as the clouds covered the stars. The city expanded farther than she remembered with modern buildings and ships docked by the shore. The wind blew by, letting her tangled hair flow about. Emily walked beside her and stood with her, watching the city glow in the night. "So, what do want to see here? There are plenty of new and improved things humans have made over the past centuries since you've been gone. That snowmobile was just one of those many things" Emily watched the night go by, waiting for an answer of what Elsa wanted to do here. For a minute, she didn't say anything and just stared out at the city before her, her blue eyes looking out, not really thinking at the present moment. 

All she could think about was the past, her family relations, Anna, the duties of being royalty, the statue of her parents, and Olaf. One tear formed and cascaded down her cheek. "...Elsa?" Said women blinked rapidly and quickly rubbed her eyes. "S-sorry. What were we doing?" "Do you want to go down and look around? See the changes? Being stuck in the past is bad for your mental health you know" Elsa chuckled at that remark "Yeah... there's a statue I want to find" 

\------

When Elsa and Emily walked through the streets of Bergen, all they could see were buildings towered on pillars of concrete arches, more windows than she could ever imagine. The streets before her were black and there was no stone underneath her feet. The castle she knew and lived inside was gone, probably remodeled or moved somewhere else. The square completely transformed and, in her disappointment, saw that the family statue was no longer there. What replaced were other statues of old Vikings, natives and possible other voyagers surrounding a square structure that stood on a bigger water fountain. Elsa stared at the three green copper statues before her in the night, a sigh escaping her lips as her eyes told the deity of her disappointment. Snow began to fall again and it wasn't Elsa's doing. 

"I see you weren't expecting any of this, but its predictable. Things don't last for ever down here, objects get thrown away and replaced with new ones of interest. So on and so forth" Emily stood next to the ice spirit. "I wanted to see my parents for the last time, but... I guess I won't huh? Stuck in the past for too long...Why do I even care about this?" She smiled bittersweetly, or more so she didn't want to smile at the sight of these unknown statues before her. This kingdom she doesn't even know of anymore wasn't the one she recognized. "They're dead Elsa, they're long gone. Everyone is gone..." She told herself as she looked down at the concrete tiled floor under her feet. "Why are you so weak? Why are humans so damn weak?!" She clenched her fists, shaking them and wanting to freeze this damn fountain in front of her out of anger and confusion, but she didn't. 

Her eyes squinting, in a position on wanting to cry but that would just make her look weaker than she already was. Emily looked at her for a few minutes before she eyed the statues and then the water before them. She touched the surface of the water with her fingertips and the surface instantly froze over and turned to ice with bits of frost to be seen. A breath of icy fog came out of her mouth with a low, pitiful sigh as she stared at the oxygenated copper before her. "You're tired of being strong, I understand...maybe it my own judgments of creating humans out of clay than crystal. I didn't expect that humans could be so...unstable and so sensitive like this water" She looked down at her palm pressed against the surface of the ice. Her hand rose in temperature and the ice underneath her palm thawed away and with brittles of cracks. It turned back to water. She froze the water again effortlessly, then thawed it again to only freeze it once more. 

Froze. Thaw. Froze. Thaw. Froze. Thaw. She continued doing this in a cycle, repeating the words out loud: Stable. Unstable. Stable. Unstable. Stable. Unstable. Emily kept doing this, either out of boredom or to teach little Elsa about life in her dimension. 

"What are you doing?" She finally noticed the changes between the two elements and looked up to older women. "...You know...I'm sorry for hitting you earlier" "It's alright. I deserved it. I was just...desperate you know? You-you probably think I'm pathetic right? Since you're more wiser than I ever could be" Elsa played with her slightly messed hair, chuckling awkwardly to herself. "No-well yes but, you grow, you learn, you make mistakes...it's called the cycle of the spirit" Emily continued freezing and thawing the water under her hand, managing to freeze the sensitive ripples of the surface. "You can't get fresh water from a lake so easily. You have to do so much to get that water. It looks clean and fresh to drink, but there's always hidden bacteria within it to boil. You have to be careful of what you drink. With salt water, it's a longer process, but you can separate the salt from the water and it takes more time. The same goes with humans" Emily kept playing with the fountian as the snow continued to fall into the water. 

"The same?" "Yep. The human looks clean and innocent on the outside, but deep within, there's a sinful heart full of guilt and rebellion. They need to learn and grow in order to be pure. They need to die, live, die and live again in order to purify that salt water. I can't let them live forever, I was ordered not to let them live long enough. Let them learn in their next life, let them grow, be better than the last. Let the same soul have a different body each time. Slowly purify that filthy salt every reincarnation. Swamp water is the most lowest point of them all, and fresh is the purest. Icebergs have the best water, the purest water to drink and heal your spirit, and to see it all melt away and be one with the vast endless of salt water..." Emily froze the surface of the fountain, as thick as she could, before glaring heavily into the ice and forced her hand through the ice. Breaking through it, boiling the ice and water within before aggressively freezing it even more. Her anger showed as the water she froze sprouted in high spikes of ice, coiling around the statues and almost freezing the whole structure in an ice cube. "...then I'll just boil them all away. Then evaporate their souls into the air so my husband could take care of what is left. Cleanse the earth my way" 

Elsa watched the deity in a way that made her shiver silently. It was in her look, in those green eyes that held both mystery of power. She was not one to be messed with, nor stepped upon and seen as a platform by those lower than her, physically and mentally. She probably hated the rebellious type and even more so the prideful. Elsa felt...guilt and was sorry for her. Again and again she couldn't help but admire this deity before her. Elsa held onto the crystal on her neck, thinking of what she meant by being made of crystal rather than clay. Elsa opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by a shocked scream behind. 

Both of them turned around to see a civilian wearing winter clothes and a hat stare at the fountain with wide eyes and an open mouth. Was he scared of them? Did he see them? Or maybe he was shocked by the sudden spike of ice in the fountain. He didn't move, but he at least calmed himself down from...whatever surprised him. Elsa watched the man blink and lowered his guard. He started walking up to them and froze in place. What was she to do? She glanced over to Emily, who didn't really care as much of his sudden approach towards them. "E-Emily. What is he- Uh! D-don't mind us sir, we're just out for a little stroll and-" Elsa waved both of her hands to the civilian, awkwardness suddenly creeping up on her as this stranger kept walking towards them. He didn't seem to listen to them and was only focused on the icy form of the fountain. 

"Um..sir you're getting too clo-" Elsa stared at the man's gray eyes, only fixed on the fountain as he got closer to her personal space. Yet what shocked her wasn't the man's closeness, it was the utter hollowness she felt when the man went _right through_ her very being. As he went right through her, the man stopped in front of the fountain, looking up and down at the ice spiraling about. "This is so cool but...how did this happen? It scared the living shit out of me, but...wow" the man mumbled to himself as he scanned the statues and surface of the ice, completely unaware of the two women behind him. 

Meanwhile Elsa's eyes widened in both disbelief and fright. She placed her hands over her chest and then the crystal on her collarbone. Texture was still there, she could feel the ice attached to her skin. Her hands touched her own face and still felt the touch of her skin, but felt so...empty as this man walked through her like a ghost. She wanted to panic, wanted to scream and freak out at what just happened. She then placed her hands over her heart. Was it beating correctly? In a rhythm she knew of? Was she breathing? Gosh why is freaking out so much? Before she glanced up to Emily, the man then turned around hearing him say something before going through her very essence again and walking away. 

The civilian before them didn't notice anything but the fountain ice and left. That was that. 

Elsa finally looked over to Emily, who didn't seem fazed by this news of humans suddenly walking through her. Instead she just...didn't seem to care. Like it was an everyday thing for this old deity. "Uh...w-what just happened to me?" Emily's green forest eyes glanced upwards and she huffed out, her body leaning against the cold rim of the fountain. "What you didn't realize? He just walked right through you. Why act so shocked about it?" She crossed her arms against her chest, looking at the civilian still walking further away. "Y-you mean it's happened to you before?" Emily nodded. "Belief...its all about belief" The ice spirit watched Mother Nature start to walk away from the creation she made and towards the light of the lamps, showing her figure in the light. 

She saw another pair of civilians walk past them, going right though the deity in the process, unknown of her presence as they continued chatting with each other. Emily didn't bat an eye at this and turned around to face Elsa, who watched in awe and followed after her. "I see you haven't experienced not being believed in. Though, that's what happens when you die. You turn into a spirit with no fleshy body and wonder if your stuck down here as a ghost or you failed to go to heaven" Emily turned her head and puffed out her misty breath. "Religious stuff I guess" She shrugged her shoulders and leaned against the lamp pole. 

"So.. you're saying I'm dead" "Well you're an ice spirit, it's not rocket science. A spirit doesn't have a physical fleshy form, they look for a physical for to possess, but they never have one" "B-but, what about you? Those people went right through and you're a physical living being" "Like I said, belief. Human's are limited to their own beliefs and are blinded to the rest. Narrowmindedness is in their blood. They have no more superstition to count on, they have no fear of potential spirits or deities. They don't seem to care about us anymore and think its all delusions. They can't see the spiritual, so they walk right through it" 

"But...the Northuldra see me, they make contact with me, they know me and believe in me" Emily nodded to her "Spiritual superstition. They believe in spirits, thus they see you. Trust me on this Elsa, it's happened for centuries. Not being seen, being doubted by the ones who created you. Watch them rebel against you and not see you. So you run away from them and let their hearts be distracted by anything other than you. That's what emptiness feels like in this modern world... It hurts" Elsa could see her hold back an emotion and see her lips shake. She then looked away towards the darkness of the night. The ice spirit still couldn't help but feel sorry for her. 

"...Emily..." Said women sighed loud enough to hide her own pain and brought the wind to hide her face with her hair. Her lovely green sleeve pressed against her own face. She quickly walked into the darkness of the night. Elsa watched Mother Nature walk further away towards the hill they were on before. "And yet. That's apart of being alive. To make mistakes. I've made plenty in my 5000 years of living here. I made a mistake of caring too much...and expecting too much" 

"What were you expecting too much about?" Elsa followed her, catching up so she could walk by her side. "Something I don't want to talk about right now"

Oh. Okay then.

"Where else do you want to visit?"

"Maybe...the castle? If it's still there?"

"Hmm...Oh that castle?"

"Yeah! You know about it?"

"That brown castle with the strange triangle roofs?"

"That's the one!"

"It's still here"

Elsa gasped "Really? Where is it? I don't see it"

"Oh, it moved to another location...are you a Christian?" 

Elsa stopped talking as they continued to walk through the streets and shook her head slowly. "...What? What's a Christian? Why are you asking me that?" 

Emily shrugged "It's a major belief system. I asked because your castle is a church now. Halleluiah!" 

The ice spirit slowly turned her head to the deity with a questionable look as Emily held in her laughter. "Halle...what?" 

Emily Jane didn't say anything else as she sprinted away from the blonde, letting out giggles as said blonde was still confused, wanting to catch up to her.

"Wait Emily tell me what that means! Why are you laughing?? Come back!" 

* * *

[Arctic Circle} 

Waves thrashed about as ice sheets began to sway in the water, cracking into pieces and crumbling away into the deeps. The devastating debris of the unfortunate devastation of Ahtohallan remained in the ocean waters. Still unclean, still thawing away as the waters beneath are warming up. These icebergs remained intact, glowing weaker and weaker as the days go by. These bergs were the pieces of his jailcell, his dreaded prison. A prison he loathed, or maybe even blessed as it kept him preserved for millennium until this very time. He was glad, actually. to let this guardian freeze him into ice, and he was glad that he was set free by the same one. The dreaded serpent that was trapped since the ice age was now set free to roam and destroy those in his way. Oh what glory to see these tiny, itsy bitsy little rats swim away from him in fear. He loved it, they were fun for him to play with. He missed the communications of humans roaming his territory. They were considered his food for now, those little itsy bits of flesh could've been enough for him. Yet he wanted more. More power, more food, more control over Oceanus. His favorite place to hide and stay away from his cruel creator. 

Eyes of yellow loomed upwards from the darkness, following the ice tip away and seeing the movement of this annoying little water spirit thrashing and running about in the water. He was having fun watching them swim away until that little spirit kicked him. Now they were running away and he caught up to them, breeching the surface of the sea waters, ready to strike at those who après him and dare to fight back at him? You think you are strong?! Little itsy bitsy fleshy creature?! I an above you! I am higher than all of you! You run on a snow bear to keep me away?! I swim faster than light! Who are you to outrun me?! Who are you to- 

The little fleshy thing held a measly little stick and a shocking power came out of it. It aimed at his face and his head froze in that same dreadful element. He fell down back into the depths pf the waters, further and further he sunk as ice began to melt away. It was getting warming, he was getting agitated, furious. How dare they. HOW DARE THEY?! His fury anger came through his nostrils as smoke, thawing away the ice more rapidly than normal temperatures. The ice completely thawed away, and he coiled in complete frustration. How long has it been since this pathetic little water horse taunted him, keeping him down here? Days? Weeks? Well, he didn't care one bit about this stupid little creature. He could just eat it like any old creature he snatched from under these waters. This is his territory, that that little thing. 

He swam up towards the surface once again, and peeped his black and gray scalene armor above the waters to see the horse still there and the ice turning into mush. His cage, his jail was finally gone, he was now free to do what he pleased. Why? Why would his creator want him to be free? Was it that time when Ahto was at his weakest? Or dear old Mother Nature was growing impatient? Was it that time Father Time? To let the world know it is judgment day? Or did the Most High have a change of heart and let him go? Well it didn't matter, he was free to roam the world. to show the world what pride was made of. To show those little fleshy things that they were nothing and he is more than just nothing. 

He is one who rules the depths of the Arctic and the cause of sinful pride. He is the one who cause spiritual corruption, and the one who let Yggdrasil fall. 

A dreadful serpent, a twisting serpent. No one could cease him.

He is Leviathan. 


End file.
